Chapter 8 - THE REALITY CHECKWithin fifteen minutes, the grand Sea Pines Grand Club ballroom had completely emptied of senators, contractors, and fake friends.
The string quartet cases lay open and abandoned near the stage. The $10,000 ice sculpture of Elowen’s initials began to melt slowly, dripping water onto the white tablecloths.
Only General Vance, two federal investigators, my sobbing mother, and I remained in the cavernous room.
My mother sat on the floor near the shattered remains of a floral vase, her mascara ruined, her designer dress stained with spilled champagne. She looked up at me with eyes hollowed out by absolute defeat.
“Why… why did you have to destroy her, Maren?” Eleanor whispered, her voice pathetic and broken. “She was going to have everything… she was going to carry our family name into the highest halls of Washington…”
“Because, Mother,” I said, looking down at her with cold, unyielding indifference, “honor isn't something you can buy with a dinner party, and rank isn't something you can steal just because you think you deserve to be the center of attention.”
I turned toward General Vance.
“Are the assets of the contractor firm frozen?” I asked.
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“Every single corporate account, offshore shell company, and real estate holding belonging to your sister’s fiancé and your family trust has been seized by the Department of the Treasury as of ten minutes ago,” General Vance reported crisply. “They’re completely broke, Colonel.”
“Good,” I said.
