PART 6 — The Meeting
The meeting happened the next morning.
Victor Hale arrived at the hotel at ten.
Ryan arrived at ten fifteen.
Patricia arrived at ten twenty.
Ashley arrived at ten twenty-five.
I arrived at ten thirty.
Mara joined by video conference.
We met in a private conference room overlooking the ocean.
Ryan looked at me.
“What are you doing here?”
I placed the passenger manifest on the table.
“Attending the meeting.”
Victor looked confused.
“Who is she?”
Ryan said nothing.
I answered.
“His wife.”
Victor's eyebrows rose.
“I thought you were divorced.”
“We aren't.”
Victor looked at Ryan.
“You told me the divorce was finalized.”
Ryan's face hardened.
“I said it was imminent.”
“No.”
Victor opened his folder.
“You said the papers were signed.”
Silence.
I looked at Ryan.
“Seems like someone else has been lying to you too.”
Victor didn't smile.
He was clearly not amused.
“Mr.
Carter,” he said, “is there something I need to know?”
Ryan stood.
“This meeting is over.”
“No.”
Victor stopped him.
“You owe my fund a complete disclosure.”
Ryan looked at Patricia.
She looked away.
Then Ashley spoke.
“You lied to everyone.”
Ryan stared at her.
“Ashley, stay out of this.”
“No.”
She stood.
“You told me she was crazy.”
I remained seated.
“You told me your company was worth hundreds of millions.”
Ryan's face tightened.
“You told me you were taking me to Cancun because you wanted to celebrate our anniversary.”
His eyes flashed.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand now.”
She removed the ring from her purse and placed it on the table.
“You can have this back.”
Ryan stared at it.
Then Victor opened his folder.
“I've reviewed the property records.”
He looked at me.
“Ms.
Carter, do you own twelve percent?”
“Yes.”
“Can you prove it?”
I pushed the shareholder agreement across the table.
“Yes.”
Victor read it.
Then he looked at Ryan.
“You didn't disclose this.”
Ryan's face went pale.
Victor closed the folder.
“That changes the valuation.”
Ryan's voice became desperate.
“You can't walk away.”
“I can.”
“You signed the term sheet.”
“Conditional on clean title.”
Ryan looked at me.
“This is your fault.”
I stared at him.
“My fault?”
“You're destroying everything.”
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“You destroyed it.”
He shook his head.
“You don't understand what happens if this deal collapses.”
“I understand.”
“You'll lose everything too.”
“No.”
He froze.
“I won't.”
I turned to Mara's image on the screen.
“Because she already filed the injunction.”
Ryan's face went completely blank.
“What?”
Mara spoke.
“Good morning, Ryan.”
He stared at the screen.
“You can't do that.”
“We already did.”
“What injunction?”
“Preventing the transfer of disputed assets pending determination of ownership.”
Ryan stepped backward.
“You're bluffing.”
“Check your email.”
His phone buzzed.
He looked at it.
His face collapsed.
Patricia closed her eyes.
Ryan whispered:
“You did this.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
I stood.
“You did.”
He suddenly laughed.
It was a broken sound.
“You think you've won?”
“I don't need to win.”
He stared at me.
“I just need the truth.”
He moved toward me.
Victor stepped between us.
“Don't.”
Ryan stopped.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Patricia stood.
“Ryan.”
He turned.
“I warned you.”
He looked at his mother.
“You?”
“I gave her the documents.”
His expression changed from anger to betrayal.
“You betrayed me.”
Patricia's voice trembled.
“No.”
She swallowed.
“I finally stopped protecting you.”
Ryan looked around the room.
At Victor.
At Ashley.
At Patricia.
At me.
He was alone.
Then he whispered:
“You don't know what you're doing.”
I picked up my bag.
“I know exactly what I'm doing.”
I walked toward the door.
Behind me, Ryan called my name.
“Valerie.”
I stopped.
He said:
“I loved you.”
I turned.
For the first time, he looked almost sincere.
But I knew better.
Love wasn't what he had given me.
He had given me convenience.
Control.
Fear.
And silence.
So I answered quietly:
“You loved what I allowed you to believe I would tolerate.”
Then I walked out.