“All of it.”
“Too easy.”
Her face tightened.
I continued.
“Tell me what you think was wrong.”
She looked down.
Then spoke carefully.
“The spa membership belonged to you.”
“I treated one permission like permanent access.”
“The administrative account belonged to Northstar.”
“I used it because I knew employees would trust the profile more than they would trust me.”
That was direct.
“The duplicate reimbursements?”
“I told myself finance would catch them.”
“Then when they didn’t, I let them continue.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted the money.”
Honest.
“The restructuring?”
“I believed Grant deserved control.”
“And you?”
Her face reddened.
“I believed if my company owned shares, I would finally stop being treated like the wife standing beside the real family.”
I stared.
“Who treated you that way?”
She looked at me.
“You.”
I almost objected.
Then stopped.
“Give me an example.”
“At board dinners.”
“You ask Grant operational questions.”
“You ask Celeste financial questions.”
“You ask me about branding.”
“Because that is your role.”
“I know.”
“It felt smaller.”
“That is not the same as being treated smaller.”
“I know now.”
She swallowed.
“I wanted structural power because I hated feeling adjacent.”
“And the family weekend?”
“I thought you would never agree in a meeting.”
“So I planned to make the discussion emotional.”
“Yes.”
“Did you plan the slap?”
“No.”
“The humiliation?”
“No.”
“I wanted you there.”
“I wanted Diane there.”
“I lied to both of you because I wanted Mother’s Day to look normal before bringing up the restructuring later.”
“Then when you arrived and Diane asked why, I panicked.”
“And blamed me.”
“Yes.”
She looked ashamed.
“I felt exposed.”
“So I tried to expose you.”
That sentence sat between us.
Better than any apology.
I nodded.
“What do you want now?”
Her eyes filled.
“I want Grant back.”
“That is not mine to give.”
“I know.”
“I want you not to hate me.”
“That is not something you can request on schedule.”
“I know.”
“I want to repay everything.”
“That is already being handled.”
“Yes.”
She wiped her face.
“And I want to stop consulting for Northstar.”
“That decision has already been made for now.”
“I mean permanently.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t think I can separate being Grant’s wife from wanting influence there.”
That surprised me.
“Maybe someday.”
“But not now.”
I nodded.
“That sounds wise.”
She looked at me.
