Chapter 6 - THE SCHOLARSHIPS SHE USED TO PAY HERSELF
The Prescott Opportunity Scholarship had been one of Peter Prescott's proudest projects.
For twenty years, it helped employees and their children pursue education.
Some recipients attended college.
Others completed technical training.
Several moved from entry-level hospitality positions into management.
Peter believed a company should create opportunities for the people who made its success possible.
After his death, Vivian became the initiative's honorary chair.
I had assumed she took the responsibility seriously.
Now independent auditors were examining whether money allocated to the program had been diverted into consulting and promotional expenses.
The records required careful review.
Not every payment was improper.
Some represented legitimate administrative costs.
But several large transfers lacked adequate documentation.
And a portion appeared connected to Cole Strategic Advisory.
I received the findings through Harborstone's properly authorized investment process, with the conflicted matters handled by independent members.
The situation was worse than the personal embarrassment of my Slack message.
Employees had been told that scholarship funding was unavailable.
Meanwhile, outside consulting invoices continued to be paid.
The story broke internally when Rebecca Moore and two other employees submitted formal statements to the audit committee.
Within hours, the board ordered temporary restrictions on certain discretionary expenditures.
Jasmine was placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Aaron called me that evening.
His voice sounded exhausted.
“Did you know they were going to suspend Jasmine?”
“No.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I disclosed my conflict. I'm not directing Prescott Global's personnel decisions.”
He went quiet.
Then he said:
“Jasmine thinks you're trying to destroy her.”
I closed my eyes.
“Jasmine is under investigation because of her business records.”
“You don't understand what she's been dealing with.”
I laughed once.
“No, Aaron. I don't understand why you keep defending her while refusing to examine what happened under your authority.”
He didn't answer.
Then I asked something I should have asked months earlier.
“Are you in love with her?”
Silence.
It lasted long enough to give me the answer.
Finally, he whispered:
“I don't know.”
Strangely, the words didn't hurt as much as I expected.
Perhaps because I had already stopped waiting for him to choose me.
“Then you have some things to figure out.”
I hung up.
The next morning, Vivian appeared at my parents' house in Marblehead.
Dad answered the door.
He looked decidedly unimpressed.
“Claire doesn't want to see you.”
Vivian lifted her chin.
“This concerns my family.”
Dad folded his arms.
“So does her peace.”
I heard them from the kitchen and stepped into the hallway.
“It's okay, Dad.”
Vivian entered wearing an expensive cream coat and the expression of a woman accustomed to having difficult conversations conducted on her terms.
She looked around the house.
Then said:
“So this is where you've been hiding.”
“No. This is where I've been living.”
Her lips tightened.
“Claire, you've made your point. Aaron has been sufficiently embarrassed.”
“This isn't about embarrassment.”
“You've always resented Jasmine.”
“Your son was having an affair with her.”
Vivian looked away.
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
“Men in Aaron's position sometimes need companionship that understands their responsibilities.”
I stared.
“You knew?”
She said nothing.
“Vivian, did you know about the affair?”
Her expression changed.
And suddenly I understood why Jasmine had appeared beside Aaron at so many family functions.
May you like
His mother hadn't merely tolerated the relationship.
She had helped make room for it.
