Chapter 17 - The Encounter
Six months into my tenure as CEO, I was invited to a major philanthropic gala downtown. It was exactly the kind of event Grant used to drag me to, forcing me to wear uncomfortable dresses and smile while he schmoozed politicians.
I almost declined the invitation, the anxiety bubbling in my chest.
"You have to go," Mara insisted, handing me the embossed invitation. "You are the keynote sponsor. If you hide, they will think you are still broken. Go show them you are made of titanium."
I wore a sharp, tailored black suit instead of a gown. I didn't need to be a pretty accessory anymore; I was the person signing the checks.
The evening was going surprisingly well until I went to the bar for a glass of sparkling water. I bumped into a tall, gray-haired man. It was Arthur Sterling, the senior loan officer who had originally approved my parents' fraudulent mortgage.
Arthur looked at me, his face turning incredibly pale. He had narrowly avoided federal indictment by testifying against Grant.
"Evelyn," Arthur stammered, spilling a bit of his drink. "I... I didn't expect to see you here."
"I live here, Arthur," I said calmly, taking my water from the bartender.
"I just wanted to say," he lowered his voice, looking around nervously, "I am terribly sorry for what happened to you. If I had known what Grant was doing..."
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"You did know he was forging documents, Arthur," I interrupted softly, but firmly. "You just didn't care because the commissions were high. Enjoy your evening."
I walked away, my heart pounding, but a massive smile spreading across my face. I hadn't shrunk away. I hadn't apologized. I had held a powerful man accountable to his face, and the world hadn't ended.
