Chapter 10 - The Woman Who Made the Cake
Min arrived at Jada's office with a binder and a look that made apologies feel small.
"My staff finally got paid," she said. "But I found something in my contract."
She opened to a clause specifying the rainbow cake's location directly beneath the event camera. The placement had been changed at Claire's request four days earlier, after the original floor plan was approved.
"You think she wanted me to run into it?" Jada asked.
"I think she wanted a big scene in a big picture," Min said. "I don't know if she knew you would touch her back. Don't claim more than I can prove."
Jada nodded. "You're right."
Min showed her a second document: a catering refund request submitted in Jada's name, demanding the entire contract be voided because of vendor negligence.
"I never wrote that."
"I know. That's why I'm here."
Priya compared it with the foundation mail system. The request came from a shared events account that Claire controlled. Its signature block contained Jada's name, pasted from an earlier email.
The lie was spreading outward, finding people it could hurt.
Jada went to Min's kitchen that afternoon, where workers were preparing desserts for an ordinary wedding. She did not ask for forgiveness. She carried boxes, washed utensils, and agreed to reimburse her own portion of the damaged display under a written settlement.
"You can't wash away what happened," Min said.
"I know."
"Good. Then maybe we can work."
At dusk Priya called. The bank had agreed to hold the North Quay payments while investigators examined the transfers. But Riverton Landing had filed an emergency petition to force completion of its purchase option.
"When is the hearing?" Jada asked.
May you like
"Forty-eight hours. And Martin's lawyer says Eleanor signed the deal herself."
