Chapter 6 - VICTORIA’S VERSION OF MARRIAGE
Victoria came to Everly House headquarters Wednesday.
Uninvited.
Elena’s receptionist called upstairs.
“Your mother-in-law is here.”
Elena almost said no.
Then asked Rebecca to join.
Victoria entered the conference room wearing cream trousers and sunglasses large enough for a funeral.
She removed them.
“You’ve made your point.”
Elena waited.
“The bank is threatening formal workout.”
“That sounds like an issue between Mercer House and its lender.”
Victoria’s mouth tightened.
“You know exactly what happens if they call the loan.”
“No. I don’t.”
“We could lose the property.”
Elena felt something.
Not satisfaction.
Mercer House was beautiful.
Staff depended on it.
Julian’s grandfather built it.
Losing it would hurt people beyond Julian and Victoria.
That still did not make Everly House theirs.
Victoria slid documents across the table.
“Sign the real agreement.”
Rebecca almost laughed.
Elena did not.
“What agreement?”
“A management contract. Five years. Market terms.”
Elena read.
The compensation was not market.
The termination provisions were terrible.
Everly House would guarantee staffing minimums even if Mercer failed to book enough events.
“What you’re asking could damage my company.”
“It could save ours.”
“There’s the problem.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“You are Julian’s wife.”
“For the moment.”
Victoria went very still.
Elena continued.
“Marriage does not turn my company into family property.”
“You came into this relationship knowing Julian had responsibilities.”
“And he came into it knowing I had employees.”
Victoria’s expression became contemptuous.
“My son married a woman who started as a banquet girl.”
Elena smiled.
“Yes.”
“You would have nothing if people like us hadn’t given you rooms to work in.”
Rebecca shifted.
Elena raised one hand.
She wanted Victoria to finish.
“We opened doors for you.”
“No.”
Elena’s voice stayed calm.
“You rented rooms. My clients paid invoices.”
Victoria stared.
That distinction seemed to offend her more than anything else.
Then she said:
“Julian thought once you were married, you would understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That husband and wife don’t keep separate empires.”
Elena almost laughed.
“Interesting. Did he offer me fifty percent of Mercer House?”
May you like
Victoria’s silence answered.
Integration, apparently, was supposed to move in one direction.
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