Chapter 4 - The Unmasking
Michael frowned, a hint of irritation breaking through his polished exterior. "Dad, the financial paperwork is private. We don't need to drag the guests into corporate details."
"Nonsense," Arthur Vale chimed in, chuckling heavily. "Let the room see the patriarch passing the torch! It’s a magnificent moment, Robert. A father establishing his son’s future!"
"You're right, Arthur," I said, walking toward the small podium near the front of the ballroom where a large projector screen had been set up for the wedding photo slideshow. "A father establishing his son's future. That is precisely what we are doing today."
I picked up the wireless microphone from the podium. The room fell into a polite hush. Guests turned their chairs toward the stage, glasses in hand, expecting a heartwarming toast from the groom’s father.
Michael stepped toward the stage, waving his hands in a frantic, subtle gesture for me to stop. "Dad, seriously, what are you doing?"
I ignored him, plugging my black metallic USB drive into the AV system mounted behind the podium.
"Good afternoon, everyone," I spoke into the microphone, my voice echoing clearly through the high-ceilinged room. "I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate my son Michael and his new bride, Cassandra. Over the past few days, I’ve spent a great deal of time reflecting on family, loyalty, and the true cost of entering a partnership."
Beside the stage, Cassandra whispered something urgent to Michael, her face beginning to pale. She knew the venue had cameras, but she had been assured by Michael that the back hallway was a blind spot.
"Before we sign the papers that transfer twenty million dollars of Whitaker assets into my son’s hands," I continued, "I think it is only fitting that we review a short piece of footage that was recovered from The Hawthorne Estate late yesterday afternoon."
"Dad! Stop!" Michael yelled, his voice cracking as he took two fast steps toward the stage.
May you like
I hit the play button on the remote.
The giant projector screen flickered, then illuminated with crisp, high-definition video. The bright, cruel clarity of the back corridor appeared before sixty stunned onlookers.
