Chapter 28 - Shadows of the PastSix months after their first official dinner, Katherine and Marcus’s professional and personal partnership had blossomed into something deeply grounding and extraordinary. First Meridian Bank was now universally recognized as the gold standard of ethical banking, and Katherine’s leadership was frequently studied in business schools across the nation.
It was a bright, crisp Saturday morning when Katherine decided to drive out to her former suburban home to finalize the last lingering paperwork regarding the property transfer with the county clerk.
As she pulled her sedan into the familiar driveway, she noticed a worn, dusty sedan parked near the curb.
Leaning against the garden wall was Reginald.
He looked significantly worse than he had during his visit to her office a year ago. His clothes were threadbare, his hair completely gray, and his eyes carried the hollow, desperate look of a man who had completely run out of second chances.
Katherine cut her engine, stepped out of her car, and closed the door with a calm, deliberate click. She walked up the driveway with measured, unhurried steps.
Reginald straightened up, his voice cracking as he whispered her name. "Katherine... thank God you're here. I just wanted... I needed to see you one last time."
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Katherine stopped five feet away, her arms crossed lightly over her tailored blazer. "You shouldn't be here, Reginald. This property was legally transferred to my sole ownership over a year ago."
"I know, I know," he pleaded, taking a hesitant step forward before stopping at the cold look in her eyes. "I lost everything, Katherine. The apartment, the odd jobs, my health. The courts are threatening prison time again over back civil penalties from the construction fraud. I have no one left."
