“Why not?”
“Because I don't want a private apology to erase a public humiliation.”
Sloane stared at me.
Daniel was quiet beside me.
I continued.
“You don't have to leave the video of me being humiliated online forever. But you went live to thousands of people. You can go live to the same audience and tell them what you did.”
Her face went white.
“You want me to post an apology?”
“I want you to tell the truth.”
Richard shifted.
“Sloane will absolutely issue a statement.”
I looked at him.
“Not a statement written by your communications department.”
The lawyer nearest him coughed into his hand.
I almost smiled.
“Sloane knows what happened. She can say it herself.”
Sloane stared at me.
“And if I do?”
I looked at Daniel.
Then back at her.
“This isn't a negotiation with me.”
Her brow furrowed.
“I don't control your father's deal.”
Every person in the room seemed surprised by that.
Apparently they had assumed I could simply whisper into Daniel's ear and decide the fate of $1.34 billion.
Maybe I could influence him.
Marriage was influence.
Love was influence.
But I wasn't there to trade forgiveness for a contract.
I turned to Daniel.
“I don't want you making a billion-dollar decision because somebody embarrassed me.”
His eyes held mine.
“I won't.”
“But I also don't want you pretending tonight tells you nothing.”
“I won't do that either.”
Richard leaned forward.
“So where does that leave us?”
Daniel closed the binder in front of him.
The sound was quiet.
Final.
“It leaves us without signatures tonight.”
Richard's expression darkened.
“Daniel.”
“We suspend final execution pending a governance review.”