Chapter 18 - GLORIA WANTS THE MONEY BACK
Gloria requested a meeting with Avery.
Rebecca advised against private contact.
Avery agreed only with counsel present.
Gloria arrived in pearls.
Perfect.
Controlled.
She began:
“Whatever happened between you and Spencer should not affect Rowe Estate.”
Avery almost admired the efficiency.
“No.”
Gloria paused.
“No what?”
“It shouldn’t.”
Gloria looked confused.
Avery continued:
“That is why my trust handled the investment independently.”
“Then restore the funding.”
“No.”
Gloria’s face tightened.
“You just agreed our dispute is separate.”
“Correct.”
“So?”
“The investment committee declined.”
“Because of you.”
“Because risk changed.”
Gloria leaned forward.
“You could fix it.”
Avery stared.
There it was.
No apology.
No rag.
No bedroom.
Money first.
“Mrs. Rowe.”
“Gloria.”
“No.”
The word landed.
Gloria’s jaw tightened.
Avery continued:
“You do not get to skip the part where you smiled while your son humiliated me and move directly to my capital.”
Gloria looked away.
“That morning was unfortunate.”
“Unfortunate.”
“Yes.”
“You told me a good wife serves family.”
“I was raised differently.”
“So was I.”
Gloria looked at her.
Avery continued:
“My father taught me that helping someone never buys control over them.”
Silence.
Gloria said:
“I did not know your father was successful.”
Avery smiled sadly.
“That is the problem.”
Gloria frowned.
“What?”
“Your behavior changed the moment you learned.”
“It did not.”
“You requested this meeting.”
“For family stability.”
“You never requested a meeting to apologize before the trust came up.”
Gloria went still.
Avery continued:
“If I were exactly who you thought I was that morning—a woman with a normal salary and nowhere impressive to go—would you be sitting here?”
May you like
Gloria had no answer.
That was answer enough.
