Chapter 27: The Competency Hearing
The formal hearing began at nine, and Daniel was almost late because the hotel lift stopped between floors.
He had spent the night rehearsing words like fiduciary, capacity, and investor confidence, polishing revenge until it sounded professional.
By the time he reached the video room, his shirt was damp under the arms and his face looked too bright.
The Luminara boardroom appeared on screen, not a public stage, not a courtroom, but worse.
A calm room full of people who had no need to believe him.
Evelyn sat at the head of the long table in a dark suit, one hand resting near a slim audio pad.
Adrian sat two seats away with a closed folder in front of him, and Daniel hated the distance between them.
It made them look prepared, and it made him look invited for a lesson.
The oldest director opened the meeting. “This session concerns the allegation submitted by Mr Ward regarding Evelyn’s operational capacity.”
Daniel lifted his chin.
He had expected Evelyn to look wounded.
She looked bored, and that frightened him more than tears would have.
“Before we begin,” the director said, “two commercial partners have requested reassurance that governance remains stable.”
Daniel felt a small flare of triumph.
There it was: damage.
Maybe not victory, but damage, and damage could be shaped if he reached it first.
Evelyn did not move.
The director continued. “Evelyn has requested to answer operational questions directly.”
Daniel nearly laughed, because pride was about to expose her.
The finance director spoke first. “Projected margin on the home navigation unit after the revised sensor contract?”
Evelyn answered without turning her head. “Thirty-two point four percent in year one, rising to thirty-six if supply delays remain under eight weeks.”
The finance director checked a tablet. “Correct.”
A second director asked about the medical support platform.
Evelyn named the hospital partners, the rollout schedule, the risk reserve, and the data protection issue still requiring outside review.
Her voice was flat, precise, almost kind in its lack of effort.
Every answer landed like a stamped document, and Daniel told himself the numbers had been fed to her.
Then the director changed topics without warning. “Charitable housing exposure after the old Ward property conversion?”
Evelyn paused for less than a breath. “Three-month operating reserve covered. Legal insurance approved. Local referral agreements awaiting final signature.”
Daniel heard old Ward property and felt heat move through him.
It was not old.
It was his house in every memory that mattered to his vanity.
On screen, no one looked at him, and that was the new insult.
Not attack.
Irrelevance.
The oldest director said, “Mr Ward, do you have a specific example of impaired judgement?”
Daniel had prepared several.
Suddenly they sounded like gossip wearing a suit.
“She removed my access without discussion.”
Evelyn turned slightly towards his voice. “Your access was removed after documented misuse of trust-funded accounts.”
“You humiliated me publicly.”
“The public record corrected a public falsehood.”
“You are punishing me.”
“The company is protecting itself.”
She did not reach for notes, and she did not ask anyone to repeat the figures.
The oldest director looked around the room. “The board will now vote on whether there is any basis for further competency review.”
Daniel leaned forward, searching every face for hesitation.
There was none.
One hand after another rose, every vote supporting Evelyn.
All of them, without pity.
“No further review is warranted,” the director said, and Daniel felt the little damage he had made fold back against him, neat and public.
Evelyn finally faced the camera. “Daniel, you confused sight with vision, and called it concern.”
No one softened it for him, and then she touched the folder beside Adrian. “Now bring in the Braille file.”