The Billionaire Heir Called Me a Freeloader-I’d Bankrolled His Family for 600 Years Chapter 04

Three days later, the Whitmore Group held a special shareholders’ meeting.

As the largest individual shareholder on record, I’d received the meeting notice.

I pushed open the conference room door. The conversation stopped at once.

Executives and several outside minority shareholders filled the seats around the long oval table. Some watched to see what would happen; others were already smiling.

Nathan sat in the chairperson’s seat at the head of the table, with Vivian on his right.

A newly appointed vice president I’d never seen before occupied my usual seat.

Vivian stood and pointed toward the door.

“Claire, we’re short on seats today. We’ve saved you one over there.”

A red plastic folding chair stood in the corner.

“You never vote anyway. You can sit over there and listen.”

Someone at the table gave a quiet laugh.

“I can’t believe she actually showed up.”

“She’s about to lose her dividends. Of course she’s here to fight for them.”

“Take on Nathan? What company would even take her calls?”

I walked to the corner and sat on the folding chair.

“Let’s begin.”

Vivian watched me for a few seconds. She clearly hadn’t gotten the protest she’d wanted, and

her smile faded a little.

The meeting began.

The first few items were routine reports on company performance.

At the final item on the agenda, Nathan sat up straight and cleared his throat.

“Final item: revising the company’s ownership structure and revoking Ms. Claire Bennett’s special veto power.”

He set the document on the table.

“We can’t let special clauses from decades ago keep holding this company back. Ms. Bennett hasn’t helped run the business or directly generated any operating income in decades. I

propose revoking her special seat on the board and fixing her profit share at a tenth of one

percent. Let’s vote.”

He hadn’t asked the company lawyer to explain the limits imposed by the special shares and corporate charter. Nor had he asked for my consent.

Vivian raised her hand first. “I support it. The company has a duty to shareholders who work. It can’t keep providing lifetime benefits to shareholders who don’t.”

One by one, the other voters around the table raised their hands.

No one turned to ask for my opinion.

They treated the vote as though its outcome had already been decided.

Nathan surveyed the raised hands and smiled.

“Passed unanimously. This resolution takes effect immediately.”

He looked at me in the corner.

“Claire, from today on, that tenth of one percent in profits is your only remaining tie to the Whitmores. Take your things and leave. You don’t need to come back.”

Everyone in the conference room watched me, waiting for me to pick up my bag and leave.

I rose from the plastic chair and brushed some dust off my coat.

“You want to revoke my veto power?”

I didn’t raise my voice, but everyone in the room could hear me clearly.

“Fine. You want to scrap the original dividend arrangement, too? That’s fine.”

Vivian gave a short laugh. “Good. The door’s behind you.”

I didn’t turn around. Instead, I took an old wooden box out of my canvas bag.