And he was afraid that his mother had brought the situation into the open.
Evelyn stepped between them.
"Richard, we are going to the office. The board members have been notified that the meeting will begin in one hour."
His face went pale.
"You called the board?"
"Yes."
"Without my permission?"
Evelyn's expression became cold.
"The company does not belong to you."
Richard stared at her.
For a moment, he looked less like a powerful executive and more like a frightened child who had been caught doing something wrong.
Then he recovered.
"Fine," he said. "Let's go."
He opened the sedan door for Vanessa.
She hesitated.
Richard noticed.
"What's wrong?"
Vanessa looked at him.
"I want you to tell me the truth."
He gave her a tired smile.
"Of course."
"Not later. Not when it's convenient. Now."
His smile disappeared.
"Vanessa, we have a lot to discuss."
"Then start."
Richard glanced toward his mother.
"Not here."
Vanessa took a breath.
"That is what you said on the plane when your mother asked you about the agreement."
Richard's expression hardened.
"You've been talking about things you don't understand."
"Then help me understand."
"Get in the car."
"No."
The word surprised all three of them.
Vanessa herself seemed startled by it.
For most of their relationship, she had avoided contradicting Richard in public. She had convinced herself that disagreements were best handled privately, that his responsibilities required patience, and that a successful relationship meant supporting one another.
But support was not the same as silence.
And love was not the same as obedience.
"I will get in the car," she said, "when you agree to answer my questions honestly."
Richard stared at her.
"You are making a mistake."
"Perhaps."
"Do you have any idea how much is at stake?"
"No. That's why I'm asking."
His face darkened.
"You should be on my side."
Vanessa felt the words strike her harder than she expected.
"Your side?"
"Yes. My side."
She glanced toward Evelyn.
Then she looked back at Richard.
"What if your side is wrong?"
He said nothing.
For the first time, Vanessa understood that the problem was not simply the documents, the foundation, or the people involved.
It was the expectation that loyalty required her to stop thinking for herself.
Richard had never explicitly demanded that she abandon her judgment.
He had simply made it easier for her to do so.
He had rewarded agreement with affection, avoided difficult questions with promises, and presented his decisions as though they were too complicated for anyone outside his business circle to understand.
Vanessa had accepted those explanations because they allowed her to believe that she was safe.
Now she realized that safety built on silence was not safety at all.
Evelyn watched her with a quiet expression.
Richard looked from one woman to the other.
Then he laughed bitterly.
"Unbelievable. You two have known each other for a few hours, and suddenly you're united against me."
"No," Evelyn said. "We are asking you to explain yourself."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then the board will make its decision without your explanation."
Richard's face changed.
He understood the consequences.
The agreement had not yet been signed, but several investors had already committed funds. If the board suspended the transaction, the resulting investigation could expose the arrangement, damage his reputation, and threaten his position in the company.
He had believed that his mother would eventually approve the project.
He had also believed Vanessa would stand beside him, whatever happened.
Now neither assumption seemed secure.
Richard opened the car door again.
"Get in," he said to Vanessa, his voice controlled but cold.
She shook her head.
"Not until you answer one question."
"What?"
"Did you know that Eleanor Price had been involved in failed companies before you brought her into the foundation?"
Richard's silence answered more than he intended.
Vanessa felt her heart sink.
"Richard?"
"I knew there had been complications."
"Complications?"
"Business disagreements. Financial problems. Nothing that couldn't be managed."
"Did you know investors had lost money?"
"Vanessa, this is not as simple as you think."
"Did you know?"
Richard looked away.
"Yes."
The word was barely audible.
Vanessa felt as though the ground had shifted beneath her feet.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you would have worried."
"You don't get to decide what I am allowed to know."
"I was protecting you."
"No," Vanessa whispered. "You were protecting yourself."
Richard's expression became dangerous.
"Be careful."
The warning was familiar.
He had used that tone before, usually when a conversation threatened to move beyond his control.
In the past, Vanessa would have apologized.
She would have softened her voice, reassured him that she trusted him, and promised to discuss everything later.
This time, she remained still.
"Don't speak to me like that."
Richard stared at her.
"What did you say?"
"I said don't speak to me like that."
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then Evelyn stepped forward.
"Richard, we are leaving now. You may join us when you're ready to discuss the matter honestly."
She entered the sedan.
Vanessa followed her.
Richard remained on the tarmac, watching the door close.
The vehicle pulled away.
For the first time in his adult life, Richard Sterling was not the person deciding how the situation would unfold.
And he had no idea what to do next.
Inside the sedan, Vanessa stared through the window.
The city passed in a blur of glass buildings, traffic lights, and people hurrying along the sidewalks.
Evelyn sat beside her, reading a message on her phone.