Chapter 6 - The Fall of Michael ReedWithin forty-eight hours of the Napa Valley wedding, the house of cards Michael Reed had constructed collapsed entirely.
With Gabriel’s legal team spearheading an independent audit, it was revealed that Michael had not only lied to his investors about having access to my architectural firm’s intellectual property, but he had also embezzled nearly two million dollars from his previous partners to pay for Chloe’s lavish lifestyle and the Napa estate deposit.
The news hit the business pages of the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday morning: REED ENTERPRISES FACES FRAUD INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING NAPA WEDDING SCANDAL.
I sat in my corner office at Sullivan Architectural Design in downtown Manhattan, reviewing blueprints for a new luxury high-rise in Chicago.
The heavy glass door clicked open.
Michael walked into my office. He wore no suit today; his shirt was rumpled, his hair unwashed, and deep dark circles shadowed his hollow eyes. He looked like a man who hadn't slept in three days.
"Valerie..." Michael choked out, stopping near the edge of my desk.
"You don't have an appointment, Michael," I said smoothly, not even looking up from my architectural drafts.
"Valerie, please!" Michael dropped to his knees right there on my Persian rug, tears streaming down his face. "They're filing criminal charges! My investors withdrew everything! Chloe left me yesterday—she packed her bags and went back to your mother's house! I have nothing left!"
I finally set my drafting pen down, leaning back in my leather chair, looking down at the man who had once told me I wasn't good enough to stand beside him.
"You chose Chloe because you thought she was easy to manage, Michael," I said quietly. "You chose her because you thought she made you look successful. You didn't love her, and she didn't love you. You were both using each other to build a fake life."
"I was wrong!" Michael sobbed, reaching out toward my desk. "I was stupid! I thought I wanted a trophy, but I lost the queen! Valerie, give me one more chance! We can fix this! Tell Gabriel to drop the audit!"
The door to my office opened again.
Gabriel walked in, wearing a sharp grey suit, carrying two warm cups of coffee. He stopped beside my chair, looking down at Michael on his knees with cold, supreme indifference.
"Get off the floor, Reed," Gabriel said softly. "It's embarrassing."
Michael looked up at Gabriel, then at me, the terrifying reality of his utter defeat washing over him.
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"Security is waiting in the lobby, Michael," I added, picking my pen back up. "Don't make them drag you out."
Michael slowly pushed himself off the floor, hanging his head in absolute shame, and walked out of my office, a broken shell of the arrogant man he had once been.
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