Marcus said nothing.
“Several dates on those reports correspond to days when the contractors were not operating.”
Richard’s face hardened.
“That’s impossible.”
“The committee would be delighted if you prove that.”
The entire atmosphere changed again.
This was no longer a wedding embarrassment.
It was business.
Serious business.
Adrienne stared at her husband.
“You told me the financing was practically finished.”
Marcus didn’t answer.
“You said the delay was paperwork.”
“Not now.”
“What does he mean, accounting discrepancies?”
“Adrienne.”
She stepped back.
For perhaps the first time since she had met Marcus, the Halden name looked less like armor and more like a costume.
Noah turned to Richard.
“To be absolutely clear, tonight changes nothing about the review.”
Richard seemed surprised.
Noah continued.
“I will not approve your financing because you are polite to my wife, and I will not reject it because someone insulted her.”
Adrienne looked up.
Noah’s eyes met hers.
“Business decisions shouldn’t depend on whether powerful people are personally offended.”
The sentence landed harder than a threat.
“If your company meets the standards, the committee will evaluate it accordingly. If it doesn’t, being my relative won’t save it.”
Richard slowly nodded.
Noah sat beside Lena.
The conversation should have ended there.
Adrienne could have put down the microphone.
She could have apologized.
She could have allowed the musicians to start again and let the evening recover.
Instead, embarrassment turned into anger.
“You could have told me,” she said to Lena.
Lena looked confused.
“Told you what?”
“Who he was.”
Noah’s expression changed.
Lena stared at her sister.
“Why?”
Adrienne spread her hands.
“This entire situation could have been avoided.”
For a second Lena simply looked at her.
Then she understood.
“You mean you wouldn’t have mocked him if you knew he was important.”
Adrienne realized too late what she had admitted.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“It is exactly what you meant.”
“No.”
“You aren’t sorry you judged him. You’re sorry you judged someone who turned out to have more power than you.”
Adrienne’s face crumpled.
“Why are you making me sound horrible?”
Lena’s voice became softer.
“I’m not making you anything.”
That silenced her.
Lena glanced around the extraordinary room.
The orchids.
The crystal.
The gold-edged menus.
The flowers that would be thrown away tomorrow.
For years, Adrienne had treated expensive things as evidence of value.
Maybe that was why she had never learned to recognize value when it arrived without a price tag.
“I’ve spent my whole life trying to convince you I was doing okay,” Lena said.
Adrienne wiped a tear from her cheek.
“You are my sister.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
“I think you do.”
Adrienne looked wounded.
Lena continued.
“But sometimes you love people and still hurt them because you need to feel above them.”
Noah reached for Lena’s hand.
She squeezed his fingers.
“I don’t want to compete with you anymore,” Lena said.
“We weren’t competing.”
“You were.”
A long silence followed.
“And I kept participating because I wanted your approval.”
Lena exhaled.
“I don’t anymore.”
Adrienne stared at her.
Those four words frightened her more than Noah’s job title had.
Because money could be regained.
Status could be rebuilt.
A damaged deal could perhaps be renegotiated.
But affection that had stopped asking for permission was harder to control.
Lena picked up her small handbag.
Noah stood with her.
“You’re leaving?” their mother asked.
Lena nodded.
“I think so.”
Adrienne looked toward Noah.
“You’re taking her away?”
Lena answered before he could.
“No.”
She placed one hand against her chest.
“I’m leaving.”
The distinction mattered.
Noah simply walked beside her.
They reached the edge of the dance floor when Marcus called after them.
“Mr. Quinn.”
Noah stopped.
Marcus looked exhausted.
“Tomorrow. Could we talk tomorrow?”
Noah considered him.
“Call Hawthorne’s office.”
Marcus flinched at the formality.
Noah added, “And bring the documents your auditors requested.”
Then he and Lena walked out beneath the glass ceiling and into the cool night.
Outside, the rain had stopped.
The city smelled clean.
For several seconds neither of them spoke.
Then Noah looked at Lena.
“I really do drive an old car.”
She laughed.
It came out through tears.
“A tragically old car.”
“I like that car.”
“That’s because you’re emotionally attached to depreciation.”
He smiled.
“You okay?”
Lena looked back through the illuminated glass walls.
From outside, the conservatory still looked magnificent.
No one could see the tension inside.
No one could see Marcus arguing with his father.