She stopped in front of Elena.
“Ms.
Mercer Holloway?”
Elena nodded.
Daria looked at the pendant, then at the funeral folder tucked beneath Elena’s arm.
Her expression softened briefly before professionalism returned.
“I am sorry for your loss,” she said.
“May I verify your identification?”
Elena handed over her license.
Daria compared it with the restricted profile, entered a rotating security code, and asked Elena two questions no one else at the gate could hear.
Elena answered both.
The screen flashed green.
Daria turned toward Marcus.
“Verification complete.”
Grant released a breath as though he had been holding it underwater.
Daria faced Elena again.
“The registry confirms that Mercer Aviation Trust holds the controlling interest in Crestline Air Holdings.
You are the sole voting beneficiary and authorized owner representative.”
The words settled over Gate C18.
No one laughed.
Nolan’s phone slipped lower until the camera pointed at the carpet.
Patricia gripped her handbag with both hands.
“Fifty billion dollars?”
Daria did not answer her.
Crestline Air Holdings had recently been valued at just over fifty billion dollars, including its aircraft, airport leases, cargo operations, maintenance network, and regional carriers.
Grant looked from Daria to Elena as if searching for a crack in the scene.
Then he found a new strategy.
“My wife is emotionally unstable,” he said.
“Her mother died today.
She should not be making decisions for a major company.”
Elena’s eyes sharpened.
Daria’s voice cooled.
“No one has asked her to make an operational decision.”
“I am her husband.
I should be included in any discussion concerning assets.”
Elena opened the funeral folder.
Inside were Ruth’s death certificate, the burial permit, and a certified trust memorandum Elena’s attorney had given her that morning.
She placed the memorandum on the counter with the details turned away from the crowd.
“My husband has no authority over the trust,” she said.
“He insisted on that protection himself.”
Grant’s face changed.
He remembered the conference room where he had placed the prenuptial agreement in front of her.
He remembered telling his lawyer not to leave any opening for Elena to touch Holloway family property.
He had been so focused on keeping her away from what was his that he had never wondered what might belong to her.
“This can be fixed,” he said quietly.
Elena looked at him.
“The flight?”
“The misunderstanding.”
Madison made a sound somewhere between disbelief and disgust.
Grant turned on her.
“Stay out of this.”
“You put me in her seat,” Madison said.
“You told me she would make a scene, and you wanted the video for the divorce.”
Nolan looked at his brother.
Grant’s eyes flashed.
“Stop talking.”
