The meeting ended shortly after four o'clock.
No agreement had been signed.
The attorneys gathered their documents, Richard spoke briefly with his board representative, and Caroline arranged another review session for the following morning.
Andrew remained seated.
Lauren was pacing near the windows.
"This is unbelievable," she muttered.
Andrew rubbed his face.
"We need to figure out what happened with those payments."
Lauren stopped.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"Because the money went to your company."
"Our company."
"Don't do that."
She stared at him.
"Do what?"
"Act like I don't have the right to ask questions."
Lauren crossed her arms.
"You knew about the advisory agreement."
"I didn't know it was eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars."
"You approved the payments."
"Because you told me the investors required them!"
"They did."
"Then where are the reports?"
Lauren looked away.
Andrew stood.
"Lauren."
"Not here."
He lowered his voice.
"Then where?"
She walked toward the door.
"We'll discuss this later."
Across the room, Evelyn was putting her glasses back into her handbag.
Andrew watched her for a moment.
Then he approached.
"Mom."
She turned.
"Yes?"
"Can we talk?"
"Of course."
He glanced toward Lauren, who was now standing in the hallway.
"I want to understand what's happening."
Evelyn nodded.
"Then ask me."
He hesitated.
"Why didn't you tell me you were this wealthy?"
She looked at him for a long moment.
"Would it have changed how you treated me today?"
Andrew's face tightened.
"That's not fair."
"Isn't it?"
"I didn't know."
"You didn't need to know how much money I had to treat me with respect."
He looked down.
Evelyn continued.
"I wore this coat because it is comfortable. I drove here because I wanted to. I didn't come to impress anyone."
Andrew swallowed.
"I shouldn't have grabbed you."
"No, you shouldn't."
"I'm sorry."
She studied him.
"Are you sorry because you hurt me, or because you discovered who I am?"
Andrew looked up.
"Both."
It was the first honest answer he had given all afternoon.
But it was not enough to erase what had happened.
Evelyn adjusted the collar of her trench coat.
"Then I hope you think carefully about the kind of man you want to become."
Andrew's eyes became wet.
"Can we start over?"
"Starting over requires more than an apology."
Before he could respond, Lauren appeared at the doorway.
"Andrew, we're leaving."
He turned.
"Give me a minute."
"We've been here for hours."
Evelyn picked up her handbag.
"You should go. We have another meeting tomorrow."
Andrew nodded reluctantly.
"Will you be there?"
"Of course."
Lauren stepped closer.
"Mrs. Carter, perhaps we should arrange a proper family dinner. I think there have been some misunderstandings."
Evelyn looked at her.
"Perhaps."
Lauren smiled.
"Wonderful."
But Evelyn's expression did not change.
"After the financial review is complete."
Lauren's smile disappeared.
Andrew took a deep breath.
"Mom, I'll call you tonight."
"Goodbye, Andrew."
The young couple walked toward the elevator.
As the doors began closing, Andrew looked back.
His mother was standing beside Richard Bennett, speaking quietly with the legal team.
She looked completely at ease.
The same woman he had treated as an embarrassment was now being escorted through the building by executives who waited for her instructions.
The elevator doors closed.
Lauren immediately turned toward him.
"We have a problem."
Andrew looked at her.
"What's going on?"
She pulled her phone from her handbag.
"I need to make a call."
"To whom?"
"Someone who can help us."
Andrew frowned.
"Lauren, I need you to tell me the truth about those payments."
She ignored him and walked toward the far end of the elevator.
Then she dialed a number.
The call connected.
"Hello?" a man's voice answered.
Lauren lowered her voice.
"It's me. We have a serious situation."
A pause.
"Did she sign?"
"No."
"Then what happened?"
Lauren looked toward the elevator doors.
"Her son found out about the money."
Another pause.
"How much does he know?"
"Enough to ask questions."
The man's voice became colder.
"Listen carefully. If Evelyn Carter starts looking into the original documents, everything could fall apart."
Lauren closed her eyes.
"Then what do we do?"
"We need to find the original agreement before she does."
"Where is it?"
"Andrew has the access."
Lauren turned toward her fiancé.
He was standing several feet away, watching her suspiciously.
She lowered her voice even further.
"And if he refuses?"
The man on the phone answered with a sentence that made her blood run cold.
"Then make sure he understands what happens if that deal collapses."
The elevator reached the lobby.
The doors opened.
Andrew stepped out first.
Lauren followed, still holding the phone.
Neither noticed the security camera above the elevator capturing their entire conversation.
And upstairs, in the executive conference room, Evelyn Carter was about to receive a message that would change everything.
The message came from her head of security.
SUBJECT: URGENT — POSSIBLE DOCUMENT TAMPERING
Beneath it was a single sentence:
Mrs. Carter, we believe someone has been trying to access the original $112 million acquisition file without authorization.
Evelyn read it twice.
Then she looked at Richard.
"Cancel tomorrow's preliminary signing appointment."
Richard frowned.
"Why?"
She slowly closed her laptop.
"Because I believe we have a much bigger problem than a missing financial report."
And for the first time that day, the calm expression on Evelyn Carter's face disappeared.