“I inherited a considerable fortune after the death of my father. Before that inheritance, I had already experienced the particular romance men develop for a woman’s bank account. I wished, once, to know whether a man could love a woman without first inventorying what she owned. So I withdrew from public life. I simplified. I lived quietly. And eventually, I married.”
She clicked again.
Bank transfers appeared on screen. Dates. Routing numbers. Entity names. Internal memos.
“My husband, Preston Carter, has spent the last five years presenting himself as a self-made venture capitalist. He has spoken publicly about grit, discipline, hustle, and earning every inch. In fact, every dollar capitalizing his firm came from me through the entities displayed here. I am his sole investor, his sole meaningful lender, and the origin point for every substantial success he has claimed as independently built.”
A shocked murmur rolled through the ballroom.
Preston found his voice. “That’s false. That’s insane. I built my firm. The Tokyo deal—”
Vivien clicked.
A contract filled the screen.
ORION ACQUISITIONS
AURORA GROUP SUBSIDIARY