Carlton approached us in the hallway, his posture noticeably defensive. “Mrs. Pembroke, are there any other historical records we should be made aware of before we return inside?”
“Yes, quite a few,” I replied calmly.
“What specific records are you referring to?” Carlton asked, taking out a notepad.
“I have complete capital contribution receipts, early tax returns, meeting notes, personal loan guarantees, payroll records, corporate emails, and certified copies of every equity agreement,” I
stated clearly.
Tristan stared at me in absolute shock. “You actually kept all of those old papers for over a decade?”
“I kept every single piece of paper, Tristan,” I said, looking him dead in the eye.
Chloe turned slowly to face Tristan, her confidence visibly faltering. “You explicitly assured me that she had nothing whatsoever to do with the origin of the business.”
“Chloe, please, this is not the right time or place for this,” Tristan snapped, refusing to make eye contact with her.
Her expression shifted instantly, looking less like the triumphant future wife of a powerful executive and more like a woman realizing she had been fed a carefully crafted lie. Across the wide hallway, Mason and Lucas stood quietly beside the court officer. Mason pretended to look at a poster on the wall, but Lucas was listening intently to every single word.
I walked over to
the boys and knelt down on the cold floor to meet their gaze. “Are you two holding up okay?”
Mason looked down at his shoes before asking softly, “Mom, did Dad lie to us about everything?”
I took a slow, deep breath, determined not to let my own bitterness poison their view of their father. “Your father did not explain the entire history honestly to you boys, but this is an adult matter that you do not need to worry about fixing.”
Lucas reached out and grabbed my hand tightly. “Are we still going to live with you in our house?”
“I am doing everything in my power to keep your daily life safe, steady, and comfortable,” I reassured him.
Mason glanced over at Tristan and Chloe before leaning closer to me. “Dad told us last night that Chloe had already picked out our new bedrooms in his house.”
