Chapter 9 - The Story Reaches Beyond the Family
The bank review uncovered a contact Vivian had not known about.
For months, Audrey had been communicating with a loan officer named Colin Reyes at a private lending firm Damon used for his company.
Colin had repeatedly asked Audrey for clarification about the “family support” Damon claimed.
Audrey had sent reassuring emails.
My mother is fully aware.
She has helped us before.
She intends to continue helping while Damon restructures the company.
Those sentences were not legally binding promises from Vivian.
But they explained why Damon believed Vivian’s money was practically guaranteed.
They also explained why he had used her address.
The lender had wanted consistency between Damon’s stated residence and the family support he described.
Audrey had helped create that consistency.
Melissa advised Vivian that the matter could lead to civil disputes and potentially more serious scrutiny depending on whether any false documents or representations had been submitted.
“No dramatic courtroom next week,” Melissa warned. “These things take time.”
Vivian almost smiled.
“I’m beginning to appreciate slow things.”
Meanwhile, Damon’s company accounts were being reviewed by its lender.
A payroll payment was delayed.
Two employees quit.
Audrey blamed Vivian.
Then she apologized for blaming her.
Their conversations became brief and painful.
Vivian learned something else from Colin’s emails.
Three months earlier, he had questioned why transfers supporting the Mercers appeared to originate from an account solely in Vivian’s name.
Audrey had responded:
She prefers helping quietly.
Vivian read the sentence several times.
It sounded almost loving.
That made it worse.
Audrey had used Vivian’s personality as part of the deception.
But buried in the email thread was another message.
One Vivian did not understand.
Colin had written:
Per our conversation, I will continue treating Audrey as the financial contact, not Damon.
Vivian looked at Melissa.
“Why wouldn’t Damon be the financial contact for his own company?”
May you like
Melissa didn’t answer immediately.
“I think we’ve been assuming Damon knew more than he actually did.”
