Chapter 11 - What Adrian Signed
For the first time, I considered the possibility that Adrian had not merely been fooled.
He might have been paid.
Charlotte cautioned me that a corporate filing was not proof he knew the source or purpose of the money.
I agreed.
What I needed was not a satisfying explanation.
I needed the true one.
Through counsel, Adrian requested a meeting supervised by lawyers.
I accepted on the condition that it take place by video and that nothing be discussed off the record.
When his face appeared on the screen, I felt a familiar physical reaction.
My shoulders tightened before I could stop them.
He looked smaller than he had in the study.
Not remorseful.
Simply frightened.
"Eleanor," he began, "I didn't know who your family really was."
"You knew enough to use my signature."
His eyes widened.
"I never used your signature."
"Then tell us about Cole Strategic Services."
He glanced toward his lawyer.
"Malcolm set it up. He said it was an advisory compensation vehicle."
"Who owned it?"
"I did."
"And what did you advise on?"
Silence.
I waited.
He finally said, "I introduced Malcolm to my board."
"You were already the CEO."
His lawyer asked for a short break.
When the call resumed, Adrian looked exhausted.
"I thought the money was a success fee."
"How much?"
"Forty million."
Charlotte made a note.
"Did you disclose that arrangement to the board?"
He stared at the camera.
That silence was answer enough to tell me the meeting would not become a reconciliation.
Then Adrian changed tactics.
"You have to understand the pressure I was under."
I remembered the belt.
"I understand exactly what you did under pressure."
"I was going to tell you."
"Before or after you made me sign away my rights?"
His face hardened.
For a moment I saw the old Adrian returning.
"You kept billions hidden from your husband. What kind of marriage is that?"
I felt the sting of the question, but it didn't own me anymore.
"The kind where you could have asked," I said.
He looked away.
Then, almost inaudibly, he said, "Malcolm has something on me."
Charlotte leaned forward.
"What kind of something?"
Adrian rubbed his forehead.
"A recording."
My stomach twisted.
"Of what?"
"A meeting I shouldn't have attended."
His lawyer interrupted before he could continue.
The call ended minutes later.
May you like
I stared at the blank screen, wondering how many lies were being held together by the threat of another lie.
