Board members exchanged glances. Dr. Patricia Williams, the board's only other Black member, sensed something significant brewing.
"Please sit," Sterling said, gesturing toward the empty chairs.
Amelia remained standing. "Thank you, but I prefer to present the facts clearly."
She opened her briefcase and retrieved a tablet. With practiced efficiency, she connected it to the room's presentation system.
Sarah's live stream appeared on the main screen. "This footage was broadcast live on social media 30 minutes ago."
"It currently has 47,000 viewers and is still climbing."
The board watched in growing horror as the incident unfolded again. Webb's voice filled the conference room: "People like you come in here every day with complaints."
Board member David Chen, no relation to Lisa, visibly cringed. "Oh my God."
The footage continued through Webb's dismissive attitude, his assumptions, and his escalating hostility toward a customer who had done nothing wrong. When Morrison burst into the frame calling her Dr. Richardson, several board members gasped.
"Jesus Christ," Sterling muttered.
The video paused at the moment Webb's face showed recognition and terror. Amelia moved to the next slide.
"This incident was witnessed by approximately 200 people in our lobby. It was live-streamed to more than 50,000 viewers across multiple platforms, and screenshots are currently trending on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok."
She clicked again, revealing social media analytics in real time. "Banking while Black is trending nationally, Metropolitan Trust is trending regionally, and local news stations have already picked up the story."
Board member Sarah Kim, the communications expert, looked physically ill. "The PR implications are catastrophic."
Amelia turned toward Webb. "Mr. Webb, would you like to explain your actions to the board?"
His mouth opened and closed without sound. Finally he managed, "I... I made a mistake."
"What specifically was your mistake?"
"I didn't recognize you."
"Try again."
The room waited. Webb's career hung on his next words.
"I... I made assumptions."
"Based on what, Mr. Webb?" Sterling asked, leaning forward.
Webb looked around the table. "I made assumptions about who belonged in our bank."
The confession hung in the air like a toxic cloud. Dr. Williams spoke first.
"Mr. Webb, are you saying you determined Dr. Richardson didn't belong in our bank based on her race?"
"I... no, that's not..."
"It's a simple yes-or-no question."
Webb's career ended in that moment of silence. Amelia clicked to the next slide.
"Our corporate charter, which I personally drafted, contains explicit anti-discrimination clauses. Policy 847 establishes zero tolerance for bias-based customer service."
She clicked again. "The legal implications are significant."
"Mr. Webb's actions exposed Metropolitan Trust to potential civil-rights violations, discrimination lawsuits, and federal banking regulation violations."
General Counsel Marcus Reed took notes frantically. The legal exposure was enormous.