Not because he was hearing about a failed acquisition.
Because he was realizing his daughter might have cost him something far more valuable.
By the time I finished, he looked at Victoria like he didn’t recognize her.
Then his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His expression became even worse.
“What is it?” Victoria asked.
Richard looked at me.
“The board meeting.”
I said nothing.
Listened.
Then stared at his daughter.
When he ended the call, his voice was quiet.
“The acquisition isn’t the only thing that just collapsed.”
Victoria frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Richard’s eyes hardened.
“The bank froze Whitmore Capital’s bridge financing.”
Victoria went pale.
I had canceled a deal.
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Chapter 2
Victoria stared at her father as though he had started speaking another language.
“What do you mean the bank froze it?”
Richard didn’t answer immediately.
He looked at me instead.
“Did you contact First National?”
His eyes narrowed.
“You didn’t ask them to suspend the financing?”
“I called my counsel. Nobody else.”
He believed me.
That worried him.
Bridge financing was temporary capital.
In this case, Whitmore Capital had arranged nearly eighty million dollars to complete the Bellamy acquisition before moving other assets.
If the bank froze it independently, something had gone wrong beyond our canceled deal.
Richard stepped away and made a call.
Victoria turned toward me.
“This is your fault.”
I almost laughed.
“You still think that?”
“You humiliated me in front of everyone.”
“You did that yourself.”
“You set me up.”
“I walked into my own store.”
“You dressed like…”
She stopped.
I waited.
“Like what?”
Her jaw tightened.
She looked away.
That answer was enough.
Martin was still standing near the register.
He had removed his management pin, but he hadn’t left.
I turned toward him.
“Why are you still here?”
He blinked.
“I…”
“Corporate security will interview you upstairs.”
His face fell.
“Not because you failed to recognize me.”
He looked up.
“Because you knew she was wrong and helped her anyway.”
He swallowed.
“Yes, ma’am.”
That mattered.
There was a difference between ignorance and cowardice.
Both could damage a company.
Only one had looked me in the eye and asked me not to make things difficult.
Jasmine approached carefully.
“Ms. Carter?”
“Yes?”
“There’s something you should know.”
Martin’s head turned sharply.
Jasmine noticed.
So did I.
She looked frightened.
“For the last month, we’ve been told to prioritize certain customers.”
“By who?”
“Management.”
I glanced at Martin.
He shook his head quickly.
“Not me.”
Jasmine continued.
“Corporate sent a list.”
My stomach tightened.
“What kind of list?”
“Preferred clients.”
“That’s normal.”
“This one had instructions.”
“What instructions?”
“Some clients were allowed to close floors.”
I frowned.
“Without executive approval?”
Martin interrupted.
“I received the directive too.”
“You just said it wasn’t you.”
“It wasn’t my idea.”
“Whose?”
He looked at Victoria.
Her face changed.
That was enough for me.
“What did you do?” I asked her.
She crossed her arms.
“Nothing.”
Richard ended his phone call and returned.
“Victoria.”
She looked at him.
“Tell her.”
Her face hardened.
“There is nothing to tell.”
Richard’s voice sharpened.
“The bank froze our financing because of a compliance complaint.”
My attention sharpened.
“What complaint?”
“Improper coordination during acquisition due diligence.”
I stared at him.
“Coordination with who?”
She stepped backward.
I suddenly understood why Jasmine had mentioned the list.
“Did the preferred client directive come from Carter Retail or Whitmore?”
Martin hesitated.
“Technically neither.”
“Then where?”
“A consulting firm.”
“What firm?”
“Lark Advisory.”
I knew the name.
Lark had been hired by Whitmore Capital to assist with operational transition planning after closing.