Chapter 10 - Christopher Albright Finally Tells The Board
Christopher Albright appeared before the special committee.
Garrett expected support.
Instead Christopher described his first meeting with West Enterprises.
It had not been with Garrett.
It had been with Rosalie.
Seven years earlier, she brought him a twelve-page analysis of the
company.
She identified its weaknesses openly.
Thin cash reserves.
Overdependence on one supplier.
Weak financial controls.
But she also explained why Garrett’s logistics model could work.
Christopher invested because Rosalie did not oversell it.
“She made the risk credible by admitting the risk.”
Garrett looked stunned.
Christopher continued.
Over the years Garrett became a capable negotiator.
Christopher respected him.
The relationship was not fake.
But Rosalie opened the door.
The bridge loan last month followed the same pattern.
Christopher initially declined.
Rosalie asked him to reconsider after West secured additional collateral
and reporting covenants.
He agreed.
Garrett had then taken credit for persuading him.
Christopher looked at Garrett.
“You did negotiate the final pricing.”
That mattered.
He was not erasing Garrett’s contribution.
“But I took the call because Rosalie asked.”
The boardroom stayed quiet.
Rosalie felt no victory.
For years she wanted Garrett to feel proud.
She had confused pride with needing a false origin story.
Now the truth was correcting itself in public.
May you like
Not because Rosalie humiliated him.
Because records and witnesses existed.
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