The second page revealed the secret I’d protected for six years. My father was Richard Hale, head of Harbor Point Capital—the fund that had led Lucas’s first investment round. The money had moved through a holding company, so Lucas never knew who was behind it. I’d begged my father to keep quiet because I wanted Lucas to love me, not my family’s name or money. He had spent years believing he’d built everything completely alone.

Lucas immediately claimed his cruel words had been a joke. My father remained calm. Harbor Point wouldn’t remove Lucas simply out of anger; the company mattered more than his pride. But tomorrow, my father would propose an independent chair and a formal conduct review. Worse for Lucas, the investors deciding that vote had just witnessed his behavior themselves. Nina started protesting, but Diane quietly stopped her. Then I walked downstairs, crossed the ballroom, and stood directly in front of Lucas.