Chapter 4 - The Ledger of Lies
We all moved into the spacious living room. Gavin tried to sit in his usual leather armchair, but one of my father’s security guards stood directly beside it, forcing Gavin and Brielle to sit together on the sofa, looking like two criminals in a courtroom.
My father sat opposite them, and I sat right beside him, holding his strong, reassuring hand.
Arthur Vance opened his briefcase and pulled out a stack of legal documents, laying them out on the coffee table right next to the leather belt Gavin had used on me. My father’s eyes fell on the belt, then on Gavin.
"Gavin," my father began, his voice dangerously calm. "For eight years, you have lived a lie. You truly believed that because your face was on the billboards and your name was on the executive door, you built Rourke Logistics."
"I did build it!" Gavin protested, his arrogance flaring up through his fear. "I worked eighty hours a week! I secured the contracts! Your trust fund just gave me a small startup loan, which I am fully prepared to pay back with interest! You don't own me, and you don't own my company!"
Brielle smirked, crossing her arms. "Exactly. Gavin is the CEO. He's the star of the industry. You can't just take away a self-made man's hard work because your daughter is jealous of me."
Arthur Vance chuckled softly, a sound devoid of any real warmth.
"Mr. Rourke, let’s look at the actual paperwork, shall we?" Arthur adjusted his glasses. "The 'Wexler Family Trust' did not grant you a loan. Under the corporate charter signed by you eight years ago, the trust bought a 100% controlling share of Rourke Logistics. You were appointed as a managing operator with a revocable employment contract."
Gavin’s smirk faltered. "What? No, that's not true. I own 51% of the voting shares!"
"You owned 51% of the voting shares of the original company, which possessed two trucks and zero assets," Arthur corrected smoothly. "When the trust injected forty million dollars into the expansion, you signed an amendment restructuring the entity into a subsidiary of Wexler Capital. Every warehouse, every new truck, every corporate account, and even the intellectual property rights to the name 'Rourke Logistics' belong entirely to the Wexler Family Trust. And who is the sole trustee and beneficiary of that trust?"
Arthur looked at me and smiled. "Vivian Wexler."
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Gavin’s face drained of all color. He looked at the documents on the table, his hands beginning to shake. "No... no, that's impossible. My lawyers checked it!"
"Your lawyers were paid for by corporate accounts owned by the trust," Arthur replied. "Which means they ultimately answer to us. Furthermore, let’s talk about this beautiful house we are currently sitting in."
