“I sent Whitmore business to Caldwell because I believed your company did good work.”
“It does.”
“I introduced Preston to investors because I thought he deserved an opportunity.”
Richard lowered his eyes.
“I wanted your family to succeed.”
My throat tightened.
“But somewhere along the way, every kindness became something you believed you had earned permanently.”
“We made decisions based on those relationships.”
“Then those decisions were irresponsible.”
He looked at me.
For the first time, there was no anger in his face.
Only defeat.
“What would your mother have done?”
That question could have been manipulation.
Perhaps part of it was.
But it still reached me.
I looked toward the skyline.
“My mother would protect the employees.”
Richard nodded slowly.
“She would.”
“So will I.”
Hope flickered in his face.
I turned back.
“But protecting employees does not require protecting Caldwell ownership.”
