“Lots of times. Daddy said she was helping with his big work thing.”
Somewhere across the patio, a glass shattered.
Richard’s jaw tightened harder.
“Your big work thing,” he said quietly to Daniel.
Daniel had gone pale.
Vanessa gave another small laugh, but it sounded sharp and strained.
“She’s four,” Vanessa said. “Children mix things up.”
May frowned again.
“I don’t mix things up,” she said firmly. “You wore the red shoes. And you told Daddy the blue folder was in your car.”
Richard slowly turned toward Vanessa.
“The blue folder,” he repeated.
Vanessa’s expression shifted for half a second.
It happened quickly, but everyone noticed.
Something clicked into place inside my chest.
The blue folder. Richard had mentioned it once over dinner months ago, talking about how it had disappeared from the office. A merger deal. Something extremely important.
Daniel reached for my arm again.
“We should go,” he whispered.
I pulled away from him.
“No,” I said. “I think you should explain why our daughter understands more about your work than I do.”
Richard pulled his phone from his pocket, his hand trembling with something colder than rage.
“Actually,” he said quietly, “I think everyone here needs to hear this.”
Then Richard turned toward the guests.
“The party is over.”
At first, nobody moved. Then people slowly began gathering purses, jackets, and silver gift bags. The music continued for a few awkward seconds before someone finally shut it off.
Richard stayed on the patio with the four of us. He looked at Vanessa, then at Daniel, and explained quietly that the blue folder had been the only physical copy of the Hartwell merger.
“I spent two months and hired a private investigator trying to figure out who leaked it,” he said.
Vanessa attempted to speak. Richard raised a hand to stop her.
“You’ll be in my lawyer’s office Monday morning,” he told her.
Then he turned toward Daniel. His voice became dangerously quiet.
