Chapter 6: The Woman Waiting to Take My Place
Tessa read Andre's message again.
He has another investor. Someone who was supposed to take your place.
She looked up.
"Who is it, Miles?""
He adjusted his cuffs.
"I don't know what Andre is talking about.""
"That's interesting. You knew about the ownership agreement. You knew about the separate company.
You knew about the forged authorization. But now you don't know about another investor?""
"You're twisting his words.""
"Then let's call him back.""
Miles shook his head.
"Don't.""
Tessa gave a short nod.
"That's what I thought.""
She called Andre again.
This time, he answered immediately.
"Tessa, please listen before you do anything.""
"I'm listening.""
"There's a woman named Vanessa Price.""
Tessa frowned.
"Who is Vanessa Price?""
"She owns a hospitality investment firm. Miles has been meeting with her for months.""
Nora looked up.
Tessa continued listening.
"How long?""
"Since before Christmas.""
"Why?""
"He wanted her to buy into Carter House.""
"How much?""
Andre hesitated.
"Three hundred thousand.""
Tessa looked at Nora.
Nora opened a new page on her tablet.
"Was the offer based on the restaurant's existing valuation?"" she asked.
Andre apparently heard her voice.
"Yes. Miles told Vanessa the restaurant was already worth over a million dollars.""
Tessa slowly looked around the office.
The walnut desk.
The custom shelving.
The framed architectural plans.
Every detail had been paid for through her company.
"Did Vanessa know I financed the construction?""
"I don't know.""
"Did she know I was still funding the final stage?""
"I don't think so.""
"Then why did Miles need my signature?""
Andre took a breath.
"He wanted the ownership transfer completed before Vanessa's money came in.""
Tessa stared at Miles.
He was no longer pretending to be confused.
His eyes were fixed on the floor.
"Put him on the phone," she told Andre.
"What?""
"Call Miles. Put him on speaker.""
Andre hesitated.
"He's right there with you, isn't he?""
Tessa looked at her husband.
"Yes.""
"Then I don't need to call him.""
Andre's voice grew quieter.
"There's something else you should know. Vanessa was supposed to attend the opening tonight.""
Tessa looked toward the office door.
"Was she?""
"Yes. But Miles told her not to come.""
"Why?""
Andre paused.
"Because he didn't want her seeing you.""
Tessa closed her eyes.
It was almost funny.
He had invited seventy people to celebrate the restaurant, but the one woman who might have questioned his story had been deliberately kept away.
"Andre, send me every document you have.""
"I can't. Miles has most of them.""
"Then send me whatever you can access.""
He lowered his voice.
"Please don't tell him I gave you this information.""
Tessa looked directly at Miles.
"I think we're past that.""
She ended the call.
Miles finally spoke.
"Your brother doesn't understand the business.""
"Apparently, he understands enough to know you were planning to sell something you didn't own outright.""
"I was negotiating an investment.""
"Using what?""
"The restaurant.""
"Whose money built it?""
He clenched his jaw.
"Yours. I know.""
"Then why wasn't my company included in the agreement?""
"Because I was going to settle everything afterward.""
Tessa shook her head.
"You keep saying that. Afterward. Tomorrow.
Later. When exactly was I supposed to find out that I had been written out of my own investment?""
Miles looked at her.
"You were going to get your money back.""
"From where?""
"From the new investor.""
Nora finally spoke.
"Mr. Carter, an investor's capital contribution doesn't automatically create a source of repayment for previous obligations.""
Miles turned toward her.
"Can you stop talking like I'm stupid?""
"I'm explaining the financial structure.""
"Nobody asked you!""
Tessa raised her hand.
"Enough.""
She opened her email.
"Send me Vanessa's contact information.""
Miles laughed.
"You're not contacting her.""
"Why?""
"Because this is between us.""
"Then you shouldn't have involved her.""
He stepped toward the desk.
"Listen carefully. You have no idea what you're doing.""
Tessa looked at him.
"I've spent fourteen months managing the finances of this restaurant. I know exactly what I'm doing.""
"You're going to scare off the investor.""
"Good.""
His face darkened.
"You think this is funny?""
"No. I think it's expensive.""
She picked up her clutch.
"How much did you promise Vanessa?""
"That's none of your business.""
Nora quietly checked her tablet.
"Actually, it may be relevant. The proposed transaction references a purchase of sixty percent of the restaurant's membership interests.""
Tessa looked at her.
"Sixty percent?""
"Yes.""
Miles immediately interrupted.
"That was preliminary.""
Tessa turned back toward him.
"You were selling sixty percent of the restaurant while telling me I was simply helping you?""
"I was trying to bring in capital!""
"By selling something built with my capital?""
Miles threw his hands up.
"Do you know how difficult it is to run a restaurant? You sit in your office and move numbers around. You don't understand what it takes to build something people actually want.""
Tessa stared at him.
"Who paid the contractors when you ran out of money?""
He looked away.
"Who bought the ovens?""
Silence.
"Who paid the electrician?""
Nothing.
"Who covered the rent during construction?""
Miles slammed his hand against the desk.
"ME! I was here every single day!""
Tessa's eyes narrowed.
"You were here spending money.""
The office door opened.
Sienna stepped inside.
She looked irritated.
"Miles, the photographer is asking for you. We need the owner pictures before the guests leave.""
Then she noticed Tessa's expression.
"What happened?""
Miles quickly moved toward her.
"Nothing. Give us a minute.""
Sienna glanced at the tablet.
"Is this still about the money?""
Tessa looked at her.
"You know about Vanessa Price?""
Sienna's expression shifted.
Only slightly.
But Tessa saw it.
"Who?""
"Vanessa Price. The investor Miles has been negotiating with.""
Sienna looked at Miles.
He shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Tessa caught that, too.
"Interesting," she said.
"You know who she is.""
Sienna folded her arms.
"I don't involve myself in business negotiations.""
"Yet you seem comfortable involving yourself in my marriage.""
Sienna rolled her eyes.
"Can we not do this?""
Tessa stepped closer.
"Did you know Miles planned to transfer the restaurant into his own company before selling part of it?""
Sienna looked toward Miles again.
He finally snapped.
"Sienna, leave.""
She didn't move.
"Why are you acting like I'm the problem?""
"Because I told you to leave!""
Sienna's cheeks flushed.
For the first time that evening, she looked less like a woman enjoying a victory and more like someone realizing she might have been standing in the wrong room.
She turned toward Tessa.
"Look, whatever happened between you two, Miles told me the restaurant was his. He said you were only helping him financially because you wanted to keep control over him.""
Tessa stared at her.
"Did he tell you he was using my company's money to pay for your apartment?""
Sienna went completely still.
Miles closed his eyes.
Tessa looked at him.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice?""
Sienna turned toward him.
"What is she talking about?""
Miles said nothing.
Tessa opened another file Nora had sent her.
It contained a payment record from Carter House Management LLC.
Monthly apartment rent.
Luxury furniture.
Two hotel reservations.
And a payment to a jewelry store.
The recipient information was linked to Sienna.
Sienna stared at the screen.
"That can't be right.""
Tessa held it steady.
"Ask him.""
Sienna turned toward Miles.
"You told me that money came from your personal savings.""
Miles rubbed his forehead.
"I was going to replace it.""
Sienna took a step back.
"Replace it with what?""
He didn't answer.
"With what, Miles?""
Nora quietly closed the office door.
Tessa watched the two of them.
The woman who had laughed when wine ran down Tessa's face was now looking at the man she had been defending.
Miles reached for Sienna's arm.
She pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
Tessa slipped her phone into her clutch.
She had no interest in comforting either of them.
Then Nora's tablet chimed again.
A new message had arrived from the restaurant's attorney.
Nora read it, then looked up.
"Tessa, there's an update.""
"What now?""
"The attorney has received a request to finalize the ownership transfer at nine tomorrow morning.""
Tessa frowned.
"From Miles?""
Nora shook her head.
"No. From Vanessa Price's investment firm.""
Miles suddenly looked up.
Sienna stared at him.
Tessa slowly turned toward her husband.
"Why is the investor pushing to close tomorrow?""
Miles's mouth opened.
But before he could speak, Nora read the final line of the email.
"The investor has already wired a $150,000 deposit.""
Tessa looked at Miles.
"Where did that money go?""
He said nothing.
Then Nora added one more detail.
"The deposit wasn't sent to the restaurant.""
She turned the tablet around.
The receiving account belonged to Carter House Management LLC.
And the account's only authorized signatory was Miles Carter.
Tessa felt her stomach tighten.
The final transfer from her company had been stopped.
But somebody else's money had already disappeared into the same account.
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And tomorrow morning, the investor was expecting to receive something in return.
Something Miles might no longer be able to deliver.
