Daniel's jaw tightened.
"That was my mother's wording.
I never—"
"You signed it." Phoebe's voice didn't waver.
"You read it.
You signed it.
Three weeks before you stood in front of two hundred people and promised to love me."
"I did love you."
"No." She set the phone on the altar rail.
"You loved what I had.
You never once asked about my family because you didn't care who I was.
You cared about what I owned."
Daniel's eyes went to his mother.
Vivian crossed her arms.
"Don't look at me.
You were the one who chose to go through with it."
"Because you told me she was just a secretary's daughter!"
The room gasped.
Phoebe didn't flinch.
"So you knew." Her voice was quiet now.
"You knew I had money.
You knew the merger existed.
You knew exactly what you were doing."
"I didn't know the full—"
"You knew enough to sign a contract." She stepped back.
"That's all I need to know."
Graham Crawford walked toward his wife.
"Vivian.
I want the truth.
All of it.
Right now."
"You're embarrassing yourself—"
"No.
You embarrassed this family." His voice broke for the first time.
"I built this company from nothing.
I shook hands with Charles Sterling at a charity dinner three years ago.
I earned his respect.
And you turned his granddaughter's love into a scheme."
Vivian's eyes narrowed.
"I did what you were too weak to do.
Someone had to secure our future—"
"Our future?" Graham's hands were shaking.
"Our future was standing right here.
A woman who loved our son.
A family that was willing to merge with ours.
And you destroyed it for a contract."
"I was protecting—"
"You were stealing." He turned to Phoebe.
"I'm sorry.
I didn't know.
I swear to God, I didn't know."
Phoebe studied his face.
