Chapter 13 - FORTY-EIGHT HOURS
The deadline arrived at 9:00 the next morning.
Horizon National Bank issued a notice of default.
Carrow-controlled lenders followed twenty minutes later.
Mercer International had forty-eight hours to cure the alleged reporting violations.
If we failed, hundreds of millions in debt could accelerate simultaneously.
Samuel called an emergency operations meeting.
The company had liquidity.
But not enough to satisfy everything at once.
My father could inject money.
That was exactly what Richard wanted.
“If we fund Mercer directly,” Victor explained, “Carrow argues the company was insolvent and dependent on undisclosed related-party support.”
“So helping hurts us.”
“Potentially.”
My father paced the boardroom.
“Then we refinance.”
“Not in forty-eight hours.”
I looked at the numbers.
Twenty-eight resorts.
Nine thousand employees.
Thousands more contractors.
This was no longer about my marriage.
If we made one wrong move, people who had never heard Richard Mercer's name could lose their jobs.
I called every general manager personally.
“We remain open.”
No speculation.
No panic.
No layoffs.
At noon, three executives resigned.
By 3:00 p.m., rumors spread online that the company was collapsing.
By evening, reservation cancellations increased.
Richard's plan was working.
Fear had become financial pressure.
Then Daniel Price called me.
He wanted to meet.
Alone.
I refused.
He accepted Victor's presence.
We met inside an empty church near Lexington Avenue.
Daniel looked terrible.
“I approved those loans,” he said.
“I know.”
“I shouldn't have.”
“I know.”
“Richard had evidence against me.”
“What kind?”
He looked ashamed.
“Personal.”
I didn't ask.
People confessed faster when you didn't rush to judge them.
“He said the loans would never default.”
“And you believed him?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“I was afraid.”
I understood fear.
I didn't forgive him.
“Tell me how to stop this.”
Daniel handed me a flash drive.
“Original underwriting files.”
Victor took it.
Daniel continued.
“They prove Carrow planned the covenant triggers before the loans were issued.”
“That could invalidate the defaults.”
“Maybe.”
“Why give this to me now?”
Daniel looked toward the church altar.
“Because Richard is going to destroy Julian.”
My chest tightened.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“Daniel.”
“I swear.”
“Then what do you know?”
He rubbed his face.
“Richard never forgave Julian.”
“For what?”
“For choosing you.”
I stared at him.
Daniel explained.
Richard had wanted Julian to marry me.
At first.
Not for love.
For access.
But according to Daniel, Julian refused after we became serious.
“He told Richard you weren't part of the plan anymore.”
I thought of the old letter.
Keep Elena out of this.
“He tried to walk away?”
“Yes.”
“So why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he had already lied about how you met.”
The world became very quiet.
“How did we meet?”
Daniel looked at me.
“That conference in Boston wasn't an accident.”
I remembered it perfectly.
Julian bumping into me near the hotel bar.
Spilling coffee on my folder.
Offering to buy me another.
I had told that story at our wedding.
“He knew I'd be there?”
“Yes.”
“Richard sent him?”
“Yes.”
“And Julian stayed.”
Daniel nodded.
“At first.”
Two words.
At first.
The difference between an arranged betrayal and a marriage that somehow became real.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Richard.
“Elena Vale.”
His voice was warm.
Almost friendly.
“You have something I want.”
“My device.”
“No.”
He laughed softly.
“You misunderstand.”
“What do you want?”
“My son.”
I stopped breathing.
Richard continued.
“Bring Julian to me before midnight tomorrow.”
“And if I don't?”
“You won't have to worry about losing your resorts.”
May you like
“Why?”
“Because there won't be a company left to operate them.”
