Chapter 7 - THE MOTHER WHO INVITED HIS MISTRESS
Vivian sat in my parents' living room and admitted that she had known about Aaron and Jasmine for nearly a year.
She didn't apologize.
Instead, she explained that Aaron needed a partner who understood corporate life.
Someone comfortable entertaining clients.
Someone who could travel without complaining.
Someone willing to put the company first.
I stared at her.
“I helped Aaron build a life for three years.”
Vivian looked unimpressed.
“You managed his home.”
“I also had my own career before I married him.”
“You chose to step away from it.”
“Yes.”
I took a slow breath.
“Because I believed we were building something together.”
Vivian glanced toward the window.
“Aaron needs a wife who understands ambition.”
“And you decided Jasmine was a better choice?”
She didn't answer.
That was enough.
Then she said something that changed the conversation.
“You have no idea how much pressure Aaron has been under. The company is facing a difficult financial year, and your public behavior has made everything worse.”
I looked at her.
“The financial concerns existed before my message.”
Vivian's expression tightened.
“Harborstone is using this situation to interfere with our business.”
“Harborstone has contractual obligations and investors to protect.”
“And suddenly you happen to own part of it.”
I almost smiled.
“I've owned that interest since before the wedding.”
For the first time, she looked genuinely surprised.
Then her expression changed again.
“Does Aaron know?”
“Yes.”
She stood.
“This is exactly why you should have been more transparent with your husband.”
I stared at the woman who had helped her son conceal an affair.
The hypocrisy was almost impressive.
“Vivian, I disclosed my inheritance as required by our prenup. Aaron never bothered to understand it.”
She adjusted her coat.
“Family loyalty should matter more than money.”
I looked directly at her.
“Then why did you use scholarship money to pay a company connected to your son's mistress?”
The color drained from her face.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Vivian grabbed her handbag.
“You'll regret making an enemy of this family.”
She left before I could answer.
Dad watched her car disappear down the driveway.
Then he looked at me.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
I laughed softly.
“I'm getting there.”
That afternoon, Nathan contacted me with an update.
The bank's preliminary review had confirmed that the electronic authorization attached to the Marblehead financing application came through Jasmine's corporate account.
The underlying signature was disputed.
Aaron had approved the financing strategy, but the investigators still needed to establish exactly who created and submitted the unauthorized document.
Meanwhile, the independent corporate audit uncovered another troubling issue.
Jasmine had been receiving confidential information about Prescott Global's planned acquisition of a European logistics company.
That access was not automatically improper because she worked on marketing strategy.
But certain files had been forwarded to an external address associated with a consulting firm.
The firm was linked to Garrett Vale.
A senior executive at Westbridge International.
Prescott Global's main competitor for the acquisition.
Then the investigators found a personal connection.
Before joining Prescott Global, Jasmine had lived with Garrett.
They had separated publicly.
But the financial records suggested their business relationship had continued.
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My husband thought he was having an affair with a woman who understood his ambitions.
He had no idea she might have been sharing his company's most sensitive acquisition plans with the competitor trying to defeat him.
