Chapter 4 - THE FIFTY-ONE PERCENT BENEATH THE SHOWROOM.
The locker key opened a basement archive beneath the showroom.
Inside were apprentice ledgers, unpaid royalties and photographs of workers erased from Bellamy advertising.
Claire stared at the records.
“My family paid them wages.”
Ruth answered, “Wages paid for hours. They did not buy our names forever.”
The ledgers showed apprentices had surrendered pay during Bellamy’s bankruptcy. In return, they received voting shares held by Rafael as trustee.
Those shares now controlled fifty-one percent of the company.
If Bellamy falsely accused an apprentice or heir of theft, control transferred to an elected worker council.
Claire’s accusation activated the clause.
David called an emergency board meeting, but Maya refused authority.
“My father’s name does not make me owner of everyone else’s sacrifice.”
Auditors found that Bellamy’s flagship store, Claire’s penthouse and David’s bonus had been financed from the apprentice trust.
David removed his badge.
“I did not know.”
Maya looked at him.
May you like
“Poor workers must understand every deduction. Wealthy managers call ignorance an explanation.”
The final ledger page listed Rafael as alive.
