We do not represent you in the lender investigation.”
His gaze dropped to the signed divorce agreement.
“The properties are mine,” he said.
“It says so right there.”
Diane’s expression became almost sorrowful.
“The agreement assigns Genevieve’s marital claims to you.
It does not extinguish existing liens.”
The Fifth Avenue penthouse secured the revolving facility.
The Hamptons property was pledged under a personal guaranty.
The cars had been purchased through a holding company financed by Northstar.
Preston had demanded sole ownership of assets that were already standing behind his debt.
Victor closed the folder halfway.
“The settlement gives you exactly what you requested,” he said.
“Every encumbered asset in your name.”
Preston looked at Genevieve as if she had struck him.
“You set me up.”
“No.”
Her voice remained level.
“I stopped protecting you from what you built.”
“You knew who your father was this whole time.”
“So did I.”
“You let me think you were nobody.”
“I let you show me how you treated someone you believed was nobody.”
The words left him without an answer.
He paced to the window and back.
His polished reflection moved across the glass behind him, smaller than he had appeared when the meeting began.
Then his tone changed.
“Jenny, this has gone too far.”
He softened his voice, using the warmth he once reserved for apologies that required no change.
“We can handle this privately.
Come home with me.
We’ll call everyone, explain the misunderstanding, and start over.”
Genevieve looked at the man who had mocked her clothes, hidden another woman in plain sight, forged her name, and offered her ten thousand dollars to disappear quietly.
“I loved you,” she said.
His shoulders relaxed, mistaking the sentence for an opening.
“That’s why it took me so long to believe you,” she continued.
The opening vanished.
Tiffany backed toward the door.
Preston saw her moving.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She tightened her coat around herself.
“You told me the company was yours.”
“It is mine.”
“No,” she said, glancing at the documents.
“It was.”
She left without waiting for the elevator with him.
Preston turned to Victor.
“This is personal.
You are abusing your position because your daughter cried to you.”
Victor’s expression did not change.
“Revenge ignores contracts.
This is enforcement.”
He pointed to the restructuring plan beneath the default notices.
“Your employees will be paid.
Active projects will continue under independent management.
Vendors who performed legitimate work will be protected.”
