Chapter 5 - WHY JULIAN NEEDED AUDREY SMILING AT LUNCH
The lunch had another purpose.
Not just signatures.
Credibility.
The private lender required final verification because two properties from two different owners were being assembled into one family collateral package.
A representative was scheduled to join by video at 1:30 p.m.
Julian had not told Audrey.
The lender’s checklist required:
confirmation that Audrey understood the collateral arrangement,
confirmation that no ownership dispute existed,
and confirmation that the move to Eleanor’s house was voluntary.
Audrey stared at Natalie.
“Voluntary.”
“Yes.”
The makeup bag suddenly made sense in a new, uglier way.
Julian did not need Eleanor merely to see Audrey smiling.
He needed Audrey looking calm while telling an outsider she was freely participating.
“He hit me the night before a consent verification.”
Natalie nodded.
Audrey felt nausea rise.
“What did he think would happen if the lender saw my face?”
“Questions.”
“And if Eleanor saw it?”
“Questions.”
Audrey laughed once.
“That explains why he was so desperate.”
She had spent the morning thinking the makeup was about family image.
Partly.
It was also financial.
Julian needed everyone to see the version of Audrey that supported his paperwork.
Calm.
Agreeable.
Committed.
No bruises.
No questions.
Audrey called him through attorneys.
He denied planning anything improper.
“The lender call was routine.”
“Did you tell me about it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You were already hostile.”
“Because I said no.”
“Because you refuse to understand what’s at stake.”
Audrey looked at the conference room wall.
“What is at stake?”
“My company.”
“Then say that.”
“I am.”
“No.”
Her voice hardened.
“You keep saying family. Mom. Marriage. Commitment. Tell me the business sentence.”
Julian went quiet.
Audrey continued:
“Your company needs six hundred thousand dollars and you wanted me to secure the debt with a house I bought before I met you.”
Silence.
“Yes,” Julian finally said.
Better.
“And when I said no?”
“I thought you’d change your mind.”
“So you arranged the appraisal anyway.”
“Yes.”
“And let your mother believe I already agreed.”
Julian exhaled.
“Yes.”
“And the email?”
Silence.
“Julian.”
“I didn’t create it.”
Audrey’s eyes narrowed.
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know.”
Natalie wrote something down.
Audrey did not believe him.
Not yet.
But she had learned something over the previous forty-eight hours.
Wanting a satisfying answer was not the same as having evidence.
So she did not accuse him of more than she could establish.
“Did you know Eleanor received it?”
“Yes.”
“Did you correct her?”
“No.”
That was enough for today.
Then Audrey asked:
“Why did you hit me?”
Julian’s voice changed.
“I lost control.”
“Why did you shove me this morning?”
“I was panicking.”
“Why did you need me smiling?”
No answer.
Audrey waited.
Julian finally whispered:
“Because if that loan didn’t close, payroll was in nine days.”
May you like
There it was.
The company was closer to the edge than either woman had been told.
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