Chapter 3 - THE HOUSE SOPHIE THOUGHT THEY WERE BUYING
Megan left the reception before cake.
She didn’t take Diane’s calls on the drive back to Cambridge.
She took Richard Vale’s.
“Did you know Martin was getting married tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know to my sister?”
“Not until I saw you.”
Megan believed him.
Beacon had screened conflicts when hiring her, but Hail Precision had entered the acquisition process under a confidential project name before Megan learned the identity of all family shareholders.
Martin was not the controlling owner. His father, two uncles, and a family trust held most of the equity.
Martin was president of commercial operations.
His proposed six-month role was part of the transition plan.
After that, Beacon intended to evaluate whether he stayed.
“He seemed very interested in my folder.”
Richard was quiet.
“There’s a reason.”
Megan pulled into her apartment garage.
“Which is?”
“Monday’s approval package changed Friday.”
Richard explained.
Beacon’s diligence team had found inconsistencies in several Hail Precision customer contracts. Nothing yet proved fraud. Some revenue had been booked aggressively against purchase forecasts that were not firm orders.
Martin had overseen the sales organization responsible for those forecasts.
Beacon inserted additional conditions into his transition agreement.
Six months instead of the eighteen months initially discussed.
No guaranteed retention bonus.
An internal review.
Megan’s folder contained the revised recommendation.
“Does Martin know?”
“His attorneys received it Friday afternoon.”
Megan thought of the groom smiling while Diane insulted her.
He had known before the wedding.
Sophie had not.
The next morning Sophie called.
Her voice was hoarse.
“Did Martin tell Beacon we’re buying a house?”
“Why?”
“Because I found the mortgage application.”
Megan closed her laptop.
Sophie and Martin had been looking at a $2.3 million Colonial in Weston. Sophie earned good money as an anesthesiology physician assistant at Mass General Brigham, but not enough to support that mortgage alone.
Martin told her his post-acquisition compensation would cover it.
The application showed expected annual compensation nearly twice his current salary.
Including a retention bonus.
A bonus Beacon had never approved.
“Sophie, don’t sign anything today.”
Her sister went silent.
“You think he lied to me.”
Megan chose her words carefully.
“I think you should understand the financial commitments you’re making before combining more of your life with his.”
Sophie whispered, “We got married yesterday.”
“I know.”
“That’s combining our lives.”
Megan closed her eyes.
May you like
Sophie had spent years accusing her sister of distrusting everyone.
Now, less than twenty-four hours after her wedding, she was asking Megan whether she should distrust her husband.
