Chapter 5 - She Knew
Lauren closed the door behind her.
“Who are you talking to?”
I ended the call.
“That’s none of your business.”
Her professional smile was gone.
“You always did love making yourself the victim.”
There she was.
Not the polished adviser from the dining room. The girl from high school.
“You knew I owned this place,” I said.
Lauren’s eyes flickered.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Then why was my profile in your pitch file?”
She froze.
Only for a second.
Then she laughed. “Of course we researched the committee.”
“Yet you acted like I was a waitress.”
“You were carrying a tray.”
“And you poured wine on me.”
“It slipped.”
“I watched the footage.”
That landed.
Lauren’s face went still.
I stepped closer.
“What exactly were you trying to do?”
Her chin lifted. “Maybe I wanted to see if success had changed you.”
“And?”
“It has. You used to know how to take a joke.”
I almost laughed.
“No, Lauren. I used to know I couldn’t afford to fight back.”
For the first time, she had no answer.
Then she changed tactics.
“Fine. You want honesty? Your husband’s account could make my year. If I’d known you were going to play restaurant owner on the floor today, I would’ve handled things differently.”
I stared at her.
She realized too late what she had admitted.
Handled things differently.
Not behaved differently.
Just hidden it better.
A knock came at the door.
Ethan entered with another man behind him.
Tall. Silver hair. Navy suit.
Lauren went white.
“Charles.”
Charles Wynn, managing partner of Pierce Wealth, looked from Lauren to me.
“I came because our compliance office received an urgent report.”
May you like
Lauren swallowed.
Charles continued, “And because the report included your name.”
