“If you move the workforce example ahead of it, the audience understands the cost before you ask them to accept the conclusion.”
Silas nodded immediately.
“That was my concern.”
He made a note.
Caleb watched us.
The panic in his face was becoming impossible to hide.
Silas closed the folder.
“Lena’s contract was approved through the executive office,” he said.
“Her involvement is documented.
Her confidentiality obligations are documented.
Her work product is documented.”
He turned to Caleb.
“So I’m struggling to understand what you believe needs investigating.”
Caleb opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then he made his worst mistake of the night.
He blamed me.
“She does this,” he said.
I actually flinched.
Silas frowned.
“Does what?”
“Makes people underestimate her and then acts offended when they do.”
I stared at my brother.
Caleb was breathing harder now, years of resentment spilling through the polished surface.
“She never explains anything.
She sits there acting above everyone, and then suddenly you find out she’s done something important and everyone’s supposed to feel stupid for not knowing.”
The lounge went silent.
I said quietly, “I never asked you to feel stupid.”
“You love this.”
“No, Caleb.
I came to your wedding.”
“You could’ve told me.”
“You could’ve treated me like your sister before knowing who hired me.”
That stopped him.
Silas looked away for a moment, giving the words space.
Then the ballroom door opened.
Natalie stood there.
She had heard enough.
Behind her were our parents.
Apparently somebody had told them there was an argument.
Mom looked frightened.
Dad looked annoyed—the expression he usually wore whenever family conflict threatened a celebration.
“What is going on?” Dad asked.
Caleb answered immediately.
“Lena turned this into a spectacle.”
I almost laughed.
Mom looked at me.
“Couldn’t this have waited until after the wedding?”
That hurt more than Caleb’s insults.
Because she hadn’t asked what happened.
She had simply found the familiar shape of the problem and placed me inside it.
Natalie spoke before I could.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
She folded her arms.
“Caleb moved Lena to the children’s table because he wanted her original seats for executives.
