Chapter 26 - The last proxy
A year had not passed; roughly ten months after discovery.
Rebecca Sloan called me to Carter Holdings headquarters.
One unresolved document remained.
The temporary voting proxy draft Julian intended me to sign had never taken effect.
But an older limited proxy from a prior lender restructuring still existed in company records.
It granted Julian authority over a narrow block of treasury-related voting matters during specified emergency financing periods.
Expired?
By date, yes.
But system still listed him as authorized representative.
Administrative risk.
Board counsel prepared formal revocation/cleanup.
Not because old proxy gave Julian power from prison.
Because controls should match reality.
I signed revocation.
Then removed his delegated email credentials.
Board approved updated authority matrix.
My signature no longer traveled through someone else’s office.
Then Natalie entered.
“Do you want your old office back?”
“No.”
“You’re still a director.”
“I know.”
“We converted it into conference space.”
“Good.”
She smiled.
“You’re lying.”
“I hate that office.”
“You loved it.”
“I loved believing everything important happened there.”
Then I looked through glass at employees.
Company alive.
No North Meridian.
No Julian.
No me as CEO.
It felt smaller.
Healthier.
Then Rebecca handed me one final envelope.
Original copy of Leo’s presumed-death court order, returned from legal archive after correction proceedings.
Because Leo was alive, counsel had petitioned court to vacate/update the declaration.
The court entered order recognizing him alive and correcting records.
Simple.
No ceremony.
The old order was no longer legally operative.
I held it.
Then shredded my personal copy.
Not evidence.
Not official record.
May you like
Just mine.
I went home to my son.
