Chapter 12 - THE TRAP WE SET FOR RICHARD
Richard believed the flash drive was still missing.
We allowed him to believe it.
He believed Howard Pell was too frightened to testify.
We allowed that too.
Most importantly, Richard believed Dominic might return to the family.
That assumption became useful.
Dominic called me Saturday morning.
“My father wants to meet.”
“With you?”
“With both of us.”
I laughed.
“That sounds healthy.”
“He thinks I can convince you to settle.”
“Can you?”
“No.”
“Then why agree?”
“Because Serena asked me to keep him talking.”
I looked at Serena.
She did not apologize.
“I was going to mention it.”
“When?”
“Now.”
My father smiled.
“You two are becoming disturbingly alike.”
I ignored him.
“What’s the plan?”
Richard wanted a private family meeting at Rourke headquarters.
No attorneys.
No security.
That alone explained why we would never agree.
Instead, Serena proposed neutral ground.
A private conference room in the Grand Aurelia.
Richard accepted because arrogance makes people overestimate the value of entering enemy territory.
The room was legally equipped for recording with notice.
Serena sent formal terms.
Richard brought Eleanor.
Dominic came alone.
Chloe was excluded.
She arrived anyway.
Of course she did.
Security stopped her downstairs.
She created a scene that appeared on social media within nine minutes.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Richard sat across from me.
I had met him dozens of times.
Thanksgivings.
Birthdays.
Sunday dinners.
He always treated me with distant politeness.
He left the casual cruelty to Eleanor and Chloe.
Now I understood why.
Richard did not waste contempt on tools.
He simply evaluated usefulness.
“Vivienne.”
“Richard.”
“I regret what happened at the wedding.”
“No, you regret the cameras.”
His mouth tightened.
My father sat beside me.
Serena and Richard’s attorney occupied opposite ends of the table.
Eleanor wore pearls.
She always wore pearls when she wanted to look respectable.
Richard folded his hands.
“This family conflict has gotten out of control.”
“You forged my signature.”
“Allegedly.”
“You instructed Howard Pell to use an execution sample.”
His attorney leaned toward him.
Richard ignored the warning.
“Howard is an unstable man.”
“Convenient.”
“Your father has spent two days trying to destroy my company.”
My father spoke for the first time.
“Your company was insolvent before my daughter’s dress hit the floor.”
Eleanor glared.
“You’ve always looked down on us.”
My father’s expression became almost amused.
“I barely knew you.”
That insult landed harder than hatred.
Richard leaned forward.
“We can end all of this.”
“How?”
“You withdraw any fraud allegations related to the guarantee.”
“No.”
“In exchange, Rourke will withdraw the Bellweather suit.”
My father shook his head.
“No.”
Richard looked at me.
“And your marriage?”
“What about it?”
“Dominic wants to preserve it.”
I looked at my husband.
He said nothing.
Richard continued.
“You’re carrying his child. Do you really want your daughter born into scandal?”
That was his move.
Shame.
Always shame.
I smiled.
“My daughter is being born into truth.”
Eleanor’s mouth hardened.
“You think being an Arden makes you untouchable.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“I think evidence makes you accountable.”
Richard pushed back his chair.
“This meeting is pointless.”
Dominic finally spoke.
“Dad.”
Richard turned.
Dominic looked terrible.
But steady.
“Tell her the truth.”
“About what?”
“The guarantee.”
Richard’s eyes changed.
“Be careful.”
Dominic swallowed.
“You ordered Howard to copy her signature.”
Richard leaned back.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I saw the emails.”
Eleanor turned toward her son.
“Dominic.”
He continued.
“You told me it would be temporary.”
Richard’s attorney whispered:
“Mr. Rourke, I strongly recommend we end this meeting.”
Richard ignored him.
“You benefited from that loan.”
Dominic’s face tightened.
“That doesn’t make the signature real.”
“You spent the money.”
“The company did.”
“You took salary.”
“So did you.”
Father and son stared at each other.
Years of obedience cracked across a conference table.
Richard lowered his voice.
“You think these people will protect you?”
Dominic glanced at me.
“No.”
That surprised Richard.
Dominic continued.
“I don’t expect them to.”
He looked at me.
“I expect consequences.”
For one second, I saw the man I thought I married.
Not enough to take him back.
Enough to mourn him.
Richard’s face became cold.
“You always were weak.”
Dominic’s eyes changed.
“No.”
He looked at Eleanor.
“You taught me silence was loyalty.”
Then back at Richard.
“It isn’t.”
Richard stood.
“We’re done.”
Before he reached the door, Serena spoke.
“One question.”
His attorney actually groaned.
Richard stopped.
Serena slid a bank record across the table.
“Why did seven million dollars move to Caldwell Strategic Advisory six hours after you learned Vivienne disputed the guarantee?”
Richard’s body became still.
Eleanor stopped breathing.
Serena watched her.
There.
The reaction.
The money was Eleanor’s problem.
Not Richard’s.
I turned toward my mother-in-law.
“You moved it.”
She said nothing.
Richard looked at her.
For the first time, he seemed genuinely surprised.
Serena leaned forward.
“Mrs. Rourke?”
Eleanor stood.
“This meeting is over.”
My father smiled.
“Now it is.”
They left.
Dominic remained seated.
Ten minutes later, Malcolm entered.
“What?”
My father asked.
Malcolm looked at Serena.
“Caldwell Strategic just initiated another transfer.”
“How much?”
“Four point two million.”
“Destination?”
He showed us the screen.
Serena stared.
Then looked at me.
“It isn’t offshore.”
“Where?”
“A trust account.”
“Whose?”
May you like
Her expression hardened.
“Chloe’s.”
