Page 55 of Rio (Knight Empire #3)

RIO

Despite being full, the boardroom feels colder than usual.

Shiny glass water jugs and glasses abound neatly around the long, rectangular table polished walnut table.

Men in suits sit around it looking somber.

Dex sits next to me, his expression stern.

On either side of us sit our respective brothers.

The old man is at the head, looking like a victor.

It secretly amuses me that he has no idea what’s coming.

He thinks this is me talking about the Eco resort, and other real estate deals I’ve been working on.

The rest of the table is filled with legal counsel, PR heads, and two outside board investors.

I set the phone on the table and tap the screen. The red light blinks, telling me that we’re live. I’m streaming the show.

“You sure, brother?” Dex asks, his voice still cautious, like he’s not sure. He didn’t want me to do this.

“I’m sure.”

I considered recording it, and giving a copy to Raquel to watch, but I changed my mind a few days ago.

Dex couldn’t talk me out of it. I’m breaking protocol but I don’t give a damn.

Raquel needs to see it happen live. They can come for my head later.

I told Dani of my plan, and she was the one who suggested she bring Raquel to New York, and set up some sort of girlie event with Cari.

I love how these women all have each other’s back.

It’s puts us Knight boys to shame. Though we’re learning.

Decades of the old man’s conditioning is slowly being stripped away.

Shivers skate along my back and neck at the thought that, if all has gone according to plan, it’s possible that Raquel might be watching this right now.

The old man’s eyes narrow to slits. “What is that?” he asks, tone clipped, and cold.

I meet his gaze without flinching. “A live stream. For someone who deserves to hear the truth.”

He leans forward. “This meeting is private. You’re violating protocol.”

A few board members shift uneasily in their seats. Their murmurs rush around the room like angry whispers.

“Then fire me.” I shrug. “But first you’ll listen to what I need to say.”

It’s slight. The tiniest flex in his facial muscles. I turn and speak directly to the camera. My mouth suddenly turns dry, like I’ve swallowed a bucket of sand.

Matteo leans forward, like this suddenly became interesting for him.

Enzo is quiet and contained, giving nothing away as he watches the old man.

Jett frowns. He has no clue what this is about.

Good. That’s exactly how me and Dex wanted this.

As for Zach? Dex said it was about time the poor kid opened his eyes and saw the truth.

I take a deep breath. My insides twisting into knots. I’m scared as hell, but I’ve never been so sure of what I’m about to do. I drop the folder on the table. The old man doesn’t flinch, though a few of the non-family board members do.

“Is this a dramatic gesture or is there substance?” the old man snaps.

“You fed me falsified environmental data,” I say. “You told me it was clean and vetted. I handed it to Raquel Monteiro, the environmental attorney for Tovey & Roth. She used parts of it, and the court threw out her case. You know about this, father, we already discussed it.”

Muted gasps ripple around the table.

“She submitted it,” he says calmly. “You gave it to her. Don’t look at me for the consequences.”

“You knew it was wrong. You knew what would happen.” I hold up the folder, and hand it to Dex, then encourage him to pass it around.

“It’s all in there. Internal memos and emails.

Direct orders from Knight Enterprises, signed off by Delport.

All traced back to him.” I jab a finger toward the old man.

“She was set up and used as a pawn. And I helped do it without knowing.”

The old man jaw tightens. “I would caution you to stop before you do something that—”

I pin him with a stare. “I said you needed to listen to what I have to say. So, listen. ” I smack down another document. “This proves you manipulated the entire situation. Got Raquel on the case, then sabotaged her credibility. You destroyed her name to protect your lies.”

“You stop this, boy .” The old man hisses.

“We need to hear this,” one of the board members says.

A murmur of agreement flows around the table.

I glance back at the camera. My voice softens.

“I should have seen it sooner. I should have questioned why the numbers didn’t match, why everything felt off, but I didn’t.

I was late getting out and doing my own investigation, but I’ve more than made up for it.

I have a lot of data now. Data which, I hope, will vindicate the person you sought to destroy. ”

The room is dead silent.

“She trusted me,” I say, eyes still on the camera.

I want to say so much, but this is not the place to become personal.

I still need to keep it professional. “But because of me she walked into a trap.” I try to still the wobble in my voice.

I can talk about work without emotion, but when it comes to Raquel, I go all soft and blubbery.

“I’m not going to let that be the end of her story.

” I slowly look at everyone around the table, then rest my gaze on the old man.

“This company claims to stand for innovation, sustainability and transparency. I say we need to prove it. So, today, I’m putting it all on record.

If you want me gone after this, fine. But I’m not going to let Raquel Monteiro take the fall for something we did.

” I lean forward, resting both palms on the table.

“I won’t stay silent while the man who calls himself my father ruins her just to feel powerful.

This is proof of wrong doing, by someone who needed to soothe a pain point.

One, I might add, he inflicted on himself. ”

If looks could kill, I’d be slumped over the table. But I hold firm, determined to see this through. “That folder being passed around is proof of misconduct, of planting false data, of deliberate sabotage. And for what?”

One of the external board members leans forward. “Mr. Knight—this could trigger legal exposure.”

The PR officer chimes in. “If this leaks, it’s reputational suicide.”

The old man’s jaw tightens. A strange thought flashes through my head. It wouldn’t surprise me if he put a hit out on me after this. He killed his wife, indirectly, by breaking her heart, and he ruined so many lives. He doesn’t care about family. I’m just his son.

“We’re not here to destroy the company,” I say. “This isn’t about revenge.”

“But there needs to be accountability,” Jett adds. His face is hard, his eyes like blue ice. Sometimes, I wonder, out of all of us, if he would be the most like the old man, if crossed, if pushed hard enough, if betrayed.

Dex crosses his arms, glaring at the old man. “You went after someone innocent. That matters.”

Matteo nods. “This was unethical. We can’t look the other way.”

Enzo’s voice is soft but firm. “There have to be consequences.”

“You want a pound of flesh?” the old man snaps.

“No,” I say. “We want you to fix it.”

He stares at me.

“You’ll issue a formal apology to the Belizean Environmental Authority and EcoGuardians.

You’ll fund a restoration project. It will be independent, transparent, and monitored.

I’ll oversee that. I’ll make sure you’re not up to your old tricks.

You’ll donate a significant portion of the profits from the eco resort to support marine and community protection programs.”

He scoffs, sitting back and smoothing his tie. “And if I don’t?”

“You’ll be voted down,” Jett says. “The board will remove you as chairman and install a watchdog oversight committee.”

He glares at all of us, his boys, who are speaking against him. Standing against him and holding firm. Not walking away. Not yet.

His nostrils flare. “Fine. You want a symbolic punishment, I’ll let you have it.”

The audacity of it. I’ll let you have it. This man lives to control. It’s in his blood. In his DNA.

“It’s not symbolic,” I say. “It’s justice.”

“For her ?” he sneers.

“For all the people you hurt. For the land your actions damaged. For what this company was supposed to stand for.”

The old man gets up, ready to speak, but I cut him off.

“This is your legacy. But you raised sons who’d rather burn your empire down than become you.”

“You accept Rio’s offer?” Jett asks the old man.

He nods once, but says nothing. This is killing him.

Everything about him is tense. He’s like a statue, carved out of stone hard and unyielding.

It would have been brutal if I’d done this at a private Knight Family dinner.

There would have been plenty of drama, and accusations.

Screaming and swearing. He wouldn’t have held back, and neither would I.

But doing this here, in front of board members. That’s what he can’t forgive. He despises me for it, and I know he’ll never forget it. There will be a reckoning for me one day, and I’ll have to brace myself for it.

Protect the ones I love, always.

I cut the live-stream, and boardroom empties, and it’s just us. And him. My brothers crowd around me, all of them, including Jett, Dex and Zach.

“That must have taken guts,” Jett says, gripping my hand hard. “Well done.”

Zach gives me a look. “Did you have to do it like this?”

I see his soft spot for the old man. “Yes. I did.”

Matteo fist bumps me. “Bold.”

Enzo nods. “Wish you’d told us beforehand, but I understand why you didn’t.”

Dex slaps me on my back. “Well done, brother. We’re celebrating tonight. No excuses.”

The old man’s voice cuts through the air like a blade.

“You’re suspended, effective immediately. Hand over your badge, your passcodes, everything. Security will escort you out.”

Dex sniggers. “You waited until the board members left before saying this?”