Her face tightened.
“I was nervous.
My mother had the microphone, everyone was watching, and I didn’t know what to do.”
“You told me not to defend him because it would embarrass you.”
“I made a mistake.”
“You made a choice.”
Behind her, Lorraine crossed her arms as if indignation might restore her position.
“This is absurd,” she said.
“Thomas deliberately deceived us.
He dressed like a laborer and allowed everyone to believe he was ordinary.
What reaction did he expect?”
My father looked down at his charcoal suit.
“It is clean,” he said.
“It fits.
And it was purchased with money I earned.
Your reaction belongs to you.”
A few guests lowered their eyes.
Lorraine’s cheeks reddened.
“I will not be lectured outside my daughter’s wedding.”
“There is no wedding,” I said.
Vanessa flinched.
Richard ignored her.
His attention remained fixed on the file.
“Thomas, we can discuss the loan privately,” he said.
“Valecrest is days away from closing the North Harbor project.
Once it goes through, every obligation will be satisfied.”
Marcus spoke for the first time.
“The North Harbor permit was suspended three weeks ago.
Your company failed to disclose that to the lending committee.”
Richard’s mouth opened, then closed.
My father nodded toward the folder.
“Continue reading.”
The next pages contained notices from Mercer Capital’s compliance division.
Valecrest had missed two interest payments, diverted restricted funds, and supplied inflated occupancy projections for three commercial buildings.
One line had been highlighted in red.
Wedding and hospitality expenditures: $2,430,000.
I looked through the glass at the chandeliers, imported roses, string orchestra, champagne towers, and hundreds of guests.
“You used company money for this?”
Richard’s jaw hardened.
“It was a marketing event.
Half the room consists of investors and business partners.”
“It was my wedding,” Vanessa said faintly.
Lorraine turned toward her husband.
“You told me the wedding came from our personal account.”
“It will be replaced after North Harbor closes.”
Marcus removed a sealed envelope from the case.
“The transfer order requires two approvals,” he said.
“Mr.
Vale signed as chief executive.
The second signature belongs to the company’s director of public relations.”
Everyone looked at Vanessa.
Her face emptied.
“I sign dozens of documents for Dad,” she whispered.
“He said it was a vendor authorization.”
Richard stepped toward her.
