Chapter 25 · The Vote Memo

"Say it again for the room, Lila." Corazon didn't look up from the memo. "Read the shareholder line. Out loud."

Every head at the table turned. Twelve board members, three lawyers, Grant Whitfield's cufflinks catching the light, and Bianca sitting where a Velasco always sits — closest to the chair. I was standing behind Jae's shoulder with a tray of water glasses I hadn't put down yet, because nobody had told me to sit, and nobody was going to.

"Ma'am, I'm not board staff." My voice came out flatter than I wanted. "I don't think I should be reading anything into the minutes."

"You read Korean off a napkin fast enough last week." Corazon slid the memo two inches across the table, close enough that I'd have to lean in to see it, far enough that everyone would watch me do it. "Read the line."

My hands were sweating around the tray. I set it down before it started rattling and gave me away twice in one minute.

The paragraph was highlighted in yellow.