The Mother Who Arrived Too Quickly
Grant’s phone rang. His building manager was calling.
“Mr. Hollowell, your mother is downstairs.”
Grant looked toward Tessa. Fear returned to her face immediately.
“How did she know I was here?”
Grant already knew the answer. Vivienne Hollowell always knew where her son went.
“Is she alone?” Grant asked.
“She arrived with her driver and two members of her private staff.”
“The staff remain downstairs. Send her up alone.”
Tessa moved closer to the children.
“Grant, please don’t let her speak to them.”
He looked directly at her.
“She won’t.”
Minutes later, the elevator opened. Vivienne Hollowell entered wearing a cream wool coat and pearl earrings, looking every inch like the polished chairwoman of a century-old family company.
She began speaking before she had fully crossed the foyer.
“Grant, Camille’s family is furious. Redford Capital has already requested an emergency discussion, and there are guests still waiting at the rooftop—”
Then she saw Tessa. Her sentence stopped. For a fraction of a second, Vivienne looked genuinely frightened.
Grant noticed. So did Tessa.
Vivienne recovered quickly.
“I see.” She placed her handbag on the console. “So this is why you embarrassed two families tonight.”
Grant stepped between the women.
“Do you remember Everett Cole?”
Vivienne’s eyes narrowed.
“Of course.”
“Did you send him to Tessa six years ago?”
Silence.
“Grant, this is not the time—”
“Did you send him?”
Vivienne straightened.
“I handled a difficult situation because you were young and emotional.”
Tessa inhaled sharply.
Grant stared at his mother.
“So you did.”
“I protected you.”
“From what?”
Vivienne gestured toward Tessa.
“From throwing away your entire future because you were infatuated with someone who had no understanding of the responsibilities attached to your name.”
Grant almost laughed. Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket. For three years, he had quietly investigated several unusual payments made through an old Hollowell charitable account. Until that night, he had never understood their purpose.
Now he did.
“I found payments to Cole’s consulting company beginning six years ago.”
Vivienne’s face tightened.
“Those were legal expenses.”
“One payment happened the same week Tessa disappeared.”
Grant stepped closer.
“Another went to a document service that prepared her lease cancellation.”
For the first time, his mother had no immediate answer.
