“Yes.”
My father flinched at her bluntness, but he did not correct her.
I looked between them.
“You want me erased so the photographs look peaceful.”
“We want one day without your bitterness.”
“What happens after that day?”
Mother smiled.
It was a small, confident smile.
“After the wedding, Vanessa and Adrian will take formal control of Bellamy Holdings. Your father will announce the new structure next month.”
There it was.
The real reason for the visit.
The wedding was not merely a celebration.
It was part of a transfer.
A public performance designed to make Adrian’s entry into the family company look natural and permanent.
“And my shares?” I asked.
“You no longer hold them.”
“That remains disputed.”
“Only by you.”
“Not for long.”
My father’s head lifted.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing you need to worry about today.”
Mother’s eyes sharpened.
“You will not interfere.”
I thought of the black box waiting inside my bedroom closet.
At that point, it contained only the flash drive and printed documents. I had not yet added the handwritten card.
“I won’t attend,” I said.
Mother studied my face.
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
My father exhaled.
Mother replaced her glove.
“Good.”
She turned toward the elevator.
Before leaving, she looked back.
“If you contact Vanessa, Adrian, the church, the hotel, or any guest, you are finished with this family.”
I leaned against the doorframe.
“Was I still part of it?”
Neither of them answered.
