Board members.

Eleven of them.

Watching remotely.

No one spoke.

David’s face drained of color.

“Oh my God.”

Sarah moved closer.

“What?”

David turned the screen toward her.

Several board members stared back in shocked silence.

Sarah’s mouth fell open.

“How long has that been on?”

Edward answered.

“Since before the family shoot.”

David looked at him.

“You were broadcasting?”

“No.”

Edward looked toward Martha.

“She was.”

Everyone turned.

Martha stood beside the ruined cake.

Sarah stared at her.

“You?”

Martha carefully wiped chocolate frosting from her fingers with a napkin.

“Yes.”

David’s voice changed.

“Mom… why?”

Martha looked at him.

For the first time that afternoon, she seemed completely calm.

“Because today was not only your birthday.”

David frowned.

Martha continued.

“Today was the scheduled annual review of the Bennett Family Trust.”

Sarah looked confused.

David did not.

His face went white.

“Mom.”

Martha walked toward the tablet.

“The trust meeting was supposed to begin at two.”

She looked at her watch.

“It’s 2:26.”

David swallowed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I sent the legal notice three weeks ago.”

David looked toward Sarah.

Sarah shook her head.

“I never saw anything.”

Martha almost smiled.

“It was sent directly to David.”

David said nothing.

He remembered.

An email from the family attorney.

He had forwarded it to his assistant without reading it.

Martha turned toward the tablet.

“Gentlemen. Ladies. I apologize for the delay.”

A gray-haired board member cleared his throat.

“Martha, perhaps we should reschedule.”

“No.”

She looked at David.

“I think we have all the information we need.”

David stepped toward her.

“Mom, whatever you think just happened—”

“I saw what happened.”

“It got out of hand.”

Martha nodded.

“Yes.”

“Sarah didn’t mean—”

“This isn’t about Sarah.”

That stopped him.

David stared.

Martha continued.

“It’s about you.”

His expression changed.

“Me?”

“For years I have watched you become someone I barely recognize.”

“Mom…”

“I told myself you were busy.”

She glanced toward the ruined cake.

“I told myself this was what success looked like.”

David looked embarrassed.

“This is not the place.”

Martha’s eyes hardened.

“That is exactly what you told me.”

Silence.

She looked at the tablet.

“My husband and I founded Bennett Freight with three trucks and a rented warehouse.”

Sarah blinked.

Martha continued.

“After he died, everyone assumed David inherited everything.”

Edward looked down.

“He did not.”

Sarah slowly turned toward David.

“What is she talking about?”

Martha answered.

“David controls the company operationally.”

She paused.

“I control the family trust.”

David’s jaw tightened.

“Mom.”

“The trust owns thirty-eight percent of Bennett North Holdings.”

Sarah looked stunned.

Martha continued.

“It also controls the estate you live in.”