Chapter 6
The first board meeting of Lawson Holdings was scheduled for Monday morning.
I was terrified.
Sarah tried to reassure me.
"You own forty-seven percent of the company," she said. "You're the majority shareholder. What you say goes."
"But I don't know anything about business," I said. "I was a caregiver for four years. Before that, I was an administrative assistant. I don't know how to run a company."
"Your grandfather didn't either, at first," she said. "He learned. And you will too. Besides, the board is mostly people who have been with the company for years. They know what they're doing. They just need to know you're in charge."
She handed me a folder.
"These are bios of the board members. Read them. Know their names. And remember—your grandfather trusted them. He hand-picked every one of them."
I spent the weekend studying.
I read the bios. I read the company's annual report. I read about the properties and the businesses.
I still felt like an imposter.
Monday morning came.
Sarah drove me to the office building downtown.
Lawson Holdings occupied the top three floors.
The elevator opened directly into the reception area. Modern furniture. Floor-to-ceiling windows. A view of the entire city.
The receptionist stood up when she saw me.
"Ms. Lawson," she said. "Welcome. The board is waiting for you in the conference room."
I walked down the hallway.
My heart was pounding.
Sarah opened the door for me.
Ten people sat around a long conference table. All of them older. All of them dressed in expensive suits. All of them staring at me.
I felt like a little girl again. Like I was in the wrong place.
Then I remembered Grandpa's words.
Don't let their noise decide who you are.
I walked to the head of the table and sat down.
"Good morning," I said.
The man to my right stood up. He was in his sixties, with silver hair and a kind face.
"Ms. Lawson," he said. "I'm Robert Chen. I was your grandfather's right-hand man for twenty-five years. On behalf of the entire board, welcome. We've been waiting for you."
He shook my hand.
His grip was firm. Warm.
"Your grandfather spoke about you often," he said. "He was very proud of you."
I felt my throat tighten.
"Thank you," I said.
The meeting began.
They talked about numbers. Occupancy rates. Rental income. Expansion plans.
I didn't understand everything.
But I listened. I asked questions. I took notes.
And slowly, the fear began to fade.
These people weren't judging me. They were helping me.
When the meeting ended, Robert pulled me aside.
"Your grandfather prepared something for you," he said. "A video. He wanted you to see it after your first board meeting."
He led me to Grandpa's old office.
It was exactly as he had left it. Books on the shelves. His old desk. A photograph of me on the corner.
Robert turned on the computer.
A video started playing.
Grandpa was sitting in this very office. He looked thinner, frailer than I remembered. But his eyes were sharp.
He smiled when he saw the camera.
"Hello, Maya," he said.
I felt the tears come.
"If you're watching this, it means you survived the first board meeting. Congratulations. I know it was scary. I know you felt like you didn't belong. But I also know you did great."
He leaned forward slightly.
"I want you to look around this office. I want you to remember that everything you see was built by a kid who had nothing. Who grew up poor. Who people said would never amount to anything."
He paused.
"I'm not telling you this to brag. I'm telling you this because I want you to know that you come from strength. That strength is in your blood. Not because of money. Because of character."
He looked right into the camera, like he was looking right at me.
"You're going to make mistakes," he said. "Everyone does. But that's okay. Mistakes are how we learn. What matters is that you stay true to yourself. That you treat people with kindness. That you remember where you came from."
He smiled again.
"I'm so proud of you, Maya. More than you'll ever know. And I'm right here with you. Always."
The video ended.
I sat there for a long time, crying.
Robert handed me a tissue.
"He filmed that about a month before he died," he said. "He knew he wouldn't be here for your first meeting. He wanted you to have this."
I wiped my eyes.
"Thank you," I said.
"Your grandfather was like a father to me," Robert said. "And I promised him I'd look out for you. If you ever need anything—advice, a sounding board, just someone to listen—I'm here."
I believed him.
That afternoon, Sarah came into the office with bad news.
"Your family has filed a lawsuit," she said.
I felt my stomach drop.
"What?"
"They're contesting the will," she said. "They're claiming your grandfather was unduly influenced. By you."
She slid a copy of the complaint across the desk.
"They say you isolated him from the rest of the family. That you manipulated him into changing his will. That you're the real reason for the conditions."
I read the complaint.
It was full of lies.
They said I had prevented them from visiting. That I had controlled all access to Grandpa. That I had brainwashed him.
"They were the ones who didn't visit!" I said. "They only came when they wanted something!"
"I know," Sarah said. "And we can prove it. We have phone records. Visitor logs from the hospice. Witness statements from the nurses. But it's going to be a fight. It could take months. Maybe years."
I thought about the video I had just watched.
I thought about Grandpa's face.
I thought about all the sacrifices I had made.
"Let them fight," I said.
Sarah looked at me.
"I'm not going to back down," I said. "Not this time."
Sarah smiled.
"Good," she said. "Because Mr. Sterling is ready. And so am I."
I looked out the window at the city.
May you like
My family wanted a war.
They were going to get one.
