Andrew arrived at Carter Meridian's headquarters at precisely 9:58 a.m.
He wore a dark navy suit and carried a leather briefcase. His expression was tired, and there were visible shadows beneath his eyes.
The receptionist greeted him.
"Good morning, Mr. Carter. Mrs. Carter is expecting you."
He nodded.
"Thank you."
As he walked through the executive corridor, he noticed something that had never interested him before.
Photographs covered one wall.
There was Evelyn shaking hands with the governor. Evelyn receiving an award for economic development. Evelyn standing beside employees at the opening of a new retail center.
In another photograph, she was surrounded by a group of young entrepreneurs.
The caption read:
Evelyn Carter — Founder and Chairwoman of Carter Meridian.
Andrew stopped.
He had never bothered to visit the headquarters.
He had never asked how many people worked there.
He had never wondered how his mother had built an organization that executives around the country respected.
He had simply assumed she was comfortable.
The receptionist opened the office door.
"Mrs. Carter is ready."
Evelyn stood beside her desk.
"Good morning, Andrew."
"Morning, Mom."
She gestured toward a chair.
"Please sit."
He placed his briefcase beside him.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Andrew finally said, "I owe you an apology."
Evelyn remained silent.
"I shouldn't have treated you that way at the store."
"No, you shouldn't."
"I was embarrassed."
"By what?"
He looked uncomfortable.
"Your clothes. The way you looked. I thought people would judge me."
Evelyn slowly nodded.
"So you decided to make sure they judged me instead."
Andrew lowered his head.
"Yes."
It was the first time he had acknowledged his behavior without offering an excuse.
Evelyn walked to the window.
"Do you remember your first school uniform?"
He looked up.
"What?"
"The blue one. You hated it because the sleeves were too long."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I remember."
"I couldn't afford a new one immediately. I spent an entire weekend shortening those sleeves myself."
Andrew looked down.
"You never told me that."
"You were six. You didn't need to worry about money."
She turned toward him.
"I wanted you to have a childhood. I didn't want you growing up believing that every good thing came with a price."
Andrew's eyes became moist.
"I'm sorry."
Evelyn returned to her chair.
"Now tell me about Northbridge Strategic Partners."
His expression changed instantly.
"What?"
"Northbridge."
Andrew looked toward the door.
"Why are you asking about that?"
"Because your acquisition documents contain an unauthorized payment of $6.4 million to that company."
He swallowed.
"I don't know anything about that."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
Evelyn opened a folder.
"Your company's financial director approved the original transaction schedule. Your signature appears on the revised authorization."
Andrew stared at the page.
"That's impossible."
"Is it?"
He took the document.
His eyes moved rapidly across the signature line.
"I didn't sign this."
Evelyn studied him.
"Then whose signature is it?"
Andrew looked closely.
The signature resembled his own.
But something about the final stroke was wrong.
"Lauren handled most of the transaction paperwork."
"Did you give her authorization to sign on your behalf?"
"I gave her access to some documents."
"Which documents?"
"I don't remember."
Evelyn leaned forward.
"Andrew, listen carefully. This is no longer about whether you embarrassed me in a department store. We may be dealing with financial misconduct involving millions of dollars."
Andrew's hands began to shake.
"Do you think Lauren is stealing from me?"
"I think we need evidence before reaching a conclusion."
He stood abruptly.
"I trusted her."
"Then you should have checked what she was doing."
"She's my fiancée!"
"And I am your mother."
Andrew looked at her.
For a moment, he seemed to realize the cruelty of the way he had used that relationship whenever it suited him.
Evelyn continued.
"Being engaged to someone does not give them unlimited authority over your company. Love does not eliminate responsibility."
Andrew slowly sat down.
"There's something I haven't told you."
Evelyn waited.
"Three months ago, Lauren introduced me to a private investor. He offered to refinance my company's debt if we completed the acquisition."
"Who was the investor?"
"His name was Victor Hayes."
Richard, who had entered quietly a few moments earlier, immediately looked up.
"Victor Hayes?"
Andrew nodded.
"Yes."
Richard exchanged a glance with Evelyn.
"That name is familiar."
Evelyn turned toward him.
"Why?"
Richard opened his folder.
"Victor Hayes is a former investment partner who was investigated for fraudulent property valuations several years ago. His company disappeared after a major lawsuit."
Andrew went pale.
"Lauren said he was one of the most respected investors in the country."
Richard replied coldly.
"Then someone has been lying to you."
Andrew looked at his phone.
A new message appeared.
Lauren: We need to talk. Don't trust your mother. She's trying to take everything away from us.
He slowly turned the screen toward Evelyn.
She read it.
Then she looked at her son.
"Andrew, I need you to make a decision."
"What decision?"
"Whether you want to protect the truth or protect the person who may have put you in this position."
Andrew stared at the message.
For the first time, he did not know what to say.