Alani looked at the hysterical woman, her expression unreadable. This wasn't a misunderstanding, Eleanor. This was your character on display. She began to tick off the offenses on her fingers. You called me worthless.
You told me I didn't deserve to breathe the same air as you. You denied me a glass of water. You delighted in my humiliation. You judged me based on the color of my skin and nothing else. She paused.
You didn't just insult me, Eleanor. You showed me exactly who you are when you believe someone has no power to affect your life. You revealed your true self when you thought there would be no consequences. Her voice dropped. Well, now you know who I am, and these these are the consequences.
In that moment, Carter, still drunk, still profoundly stupid, made a final catastrophic error. He stumbled forward, pointing a shaky finger at Alani. "This is reverse racism," he shouted, swaying on his feet. "You're just doing this to us because we're white. It's illegal.
We're going to sue you for every penny you have." The room, if possible, grew even quieter. It was the silence of people watching a man douse himself in gasoline and light a match. Alani turned to look at Carter with an expression that was almost pitying. This isn't racism, Carter.
This is the bill coming due. Learn the difference. She then pulled out her phone one last time and made one final call on speakerphone. Patricia, I have one final directive. I want the entire $2.5 billion from the terminated Vancroft deal to be immediately redirected.
Establish the Grandma Rose Fund for underrepresented founders. I want every single penny of it used to fund businesses started by black women, Latino entrepreneurs, and other minority innovators right here in Chicago. Carter's face went from flushed red to corpse white as he finally understood the magnitude of what he had done. And Patricia, Alani added, draft a press release for national distribution by morning. I want the world to know exactly why Apex Stratos is making this investment.
I want them to know we stand against racism in all its forms and that sometimes doing the right thing requires you to divest from the wrong people. At that, Harrison Vancroft's pride finally shattered. The great patriarch fell to his knees on the cold marble floor. "Please," he begged, tears streaming down his face. "Miss Washington, please have mercy.