Chapter 7
Marjorie finally spoke.
Not to Nico.
To Sienna.
Through lawyers.
They met in Rebecca’s office three days after Julian’s birth.
Sienna was tired, sore, and carrying more anger than sleep.
Marjorie looked at her.
“You should be home.”
Sienna almost laughed.
“You lost the right to tell me where I should be.”
Marjorie lowered her eyes.
Rebecca began.
“Why did you ask the bank about childbirth availability?”
“I wanted to understand closing logistics.”
“Why would Sienna be unavailable?”
“She was due.”
“Why not postpone?”
“The project could not wait.”
Sienna leaned forward.
“Your project.”
“My son’s.”
“You invested.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Marjorie hesitated.
“Two point three million.”
Almost everything liquid she had.
Her late husband had left her comfortable.
She had placed much of that money into Gavin’s development because she believed in him.
The Milwaukee project was not only Gavin’s pride.
It was Marjorie’s retirement.
If the lender accelerated, she could lose both investment and guarantees attached to another property.
That explained fear.
Not the deception.
Sienna asked:
“Did you know I didn’t understand the old power was still active?”
Marjorie looked at her.
“I assumed you remembered.”
“Did Gavin tell you that?”
“No.”
“Then why did you ask whether the bank had to notify me?”
Marjorie stopped.
Sienna waited.
“You knew.”
Marjorie’s expression tightened.
“You were having a baby.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“I thought we could fix the project and explain afterward.”
Sienna stared.
There it was.
Not accidental.
Not clerical.
Explain afterward.
Marjorie continued.
“If the refinance worked, Southline earned interest. Gavin’s development survived. Nobody lost anything.”
“And if it didn’t?”
“It was solid collateral.”
“My collateral.”
Marjorie’s patience cracked.
“You married my son.”
Sienna’s expression changed.
Marjorie heard herself.
The belief underneath the scheme had finally appeared.
Marriage meant shared sacrifice.
Even if the wife was not told what she was sacrificing.
Sienna stood slowly.
The postpartum pain made the movement awkward.
She did not hide it.
“Did Gavin ever intend to tell me before Monday?”
Marjorie looked away.
“That is what I thought.”
She left.
Outside, Nico stood with Julian’s carrier.
He had insisted on coming but stayed out of the meeting.
Sienna looked at her father.
“What?”
“You look like you want me to ask.”
“I don’t.”
“Good.”
He handed her the carrier.
She smiled faintly.
The restraint was new.
May you like
Useful.
Because the next decision would require more of it.
