Chapter 6 - The Desperate Apology
At 2:00 PM that afternoon, a black luxury sedan pulled up to the headquarters of Sol y Tierra Artisanal Foods in north San Diego.
Rosalie, Jeffrey, and Gemma stepped out of the vehicle. For the first time in their lives, the arrogance was gone. Gemma wore a muted business suit without jewelry, Jeffrey looked pale with dark circles under his eyes, and Rosalie carried a massive bouquet of white lilies.
They expected to find a cramped warehouse office smelling of vinegar and spices.
Instead, they walked into a stunning, two-story modern corporate pavilion constructed of polished cedar, glass, and river stone. A pristine research lab and packaging facility hummed behind soundproofed observation glass, where dozens of employees in clean uniforms managed state-of-the-art robotic bottling lines.
At the reception desk, an executive assistant looked at them with professional detachment. "Mrs. Weaver is expecting you in the executive boardroom."
When they entered the boardroom, Hannah sat at the head of a twenty-foot walnut conference table. She wore a simple, elegant navy silk blouse and dark trousers, looking completely poised and in control. Beside her sat Luke and Arthur Sterling, the chief legal counsel.
Rosalie stepped forward, placing the flower bouquet on the edge of the table, her hands trembling.
"Hannah... darling," Rosalie began, her voice quivering with forced warmth. "Saturday night was... it was a terrible, tragic misunderstanding. The stress of Charles's birthday overwhelmed us all. We came to apologize and put this silly family feud behind us."
"Misunderstanding?" Hannah asked, not touching the flowers. "You threw my mother's memory on the floor, Rosalie. You called her food gutter filth. And Jeffrey tried to strike me."
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Jeffrey stepped forward, bowing his head in genuine humiliation. "Hannah... I lost my temper. I am profoundly sorry. Please... if you terminate the clinic lease, my medical license and board certification will be destroyed."
Gemma stepped up beside him, her eyes welling with tears. "Hannah, if the firm loses the Century City building, I will be stripped of my partnership. Please... we are family."
