Margot folded her arms.
"I protected our marriage."
"From my sister?"
"From distractions."
Sterling laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
"You told me Simone left the city."
"I said she was unstable."
"You told me she wanted money."
"She did."
"I never asked her."
"You didn't have to."
Simone finally spoke.
"I didn't want your money."
Margot scoffed.
"You worked as a waitress."
"Because you made sure I couldn't get another job."
Sterling turned sharply.
"What does that mean?"
Simone swallowed.
"Every time I applied somewhere better, someone called the employer."
"Who?"
"You know who."
Margot's eyes flashed.
"Prove it."
Simone looked down.
"I couldn't."
"Because?"
"Because nobody wanted trouble with you."
Sterling's breathing became heavier.
He turned toward his mother.
"What happened?"
Harriet hesitated.
Then she rolled up the sleeve of her dress.
There were bruises on her arm.
Sterling froze.
"Mother..."
"They weren't from the wheelchair."
His eyes became cold.
"Who did this?"
Harriet looked at Margot.
Margot immediately said:
"She falls."
"I don't fall like that."
Silence.
Sterling looked at his wife.
"You told me she was fine."
"She is fine."
"You told me she had nurses."
"She did."
"Where are they?"
Margot didn't answer.
Simone did.
"You fired them."
"Because they were stealing."
"No," Simone said.
"Because they were asking questions."
Margot's face twisted.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know what I saw."
Sterling looked toward the crowd.
"Where is Dr. Webb?"
A woman near the rear of the ballroom stepped forward.
"I am here."
She was in her sixties, dressed in a dark blue gown.
She carried a small leather medical bag.
Sterling recognized her immediately.
His mother's physician.
"Doctor."
Dr. Patricia Webb walked toward them.
"I've been trying to speak with you for months."
Sterling stared at her.
"Why didn't you call?"
"I did."
His expression changed.
"I never received anything."
"I know."
She looked toward Margot.
"Your wife intercepted my communications."
Margot's face drained.
"That's absurd."
Dr. Webb opened her bag.
"I have copies."
She pulled out a folder.
"Medical records. Photographs. Reports. Medication histories."
Sterling took the folder.
His hands began to shake.
He opened it.
The first photograph showed a bruise.
The second showed an untreated bedsore.
The third showed medication that had never been administered.
His face hardened.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Dr. Webb looked directly at him.
"Because every time I attempted to reach you, your wife told me you were unavailable."
Margot snapped.
"This is ridiculous."
Dr. Webb continued.
"Your mother also told me she was afraid."
Harriet lowered her head.
"I didn't want to lose my son."
Sterling knelt beside her.
"You never lost me."
Harriet touched his face.
"I did."
The words broke something inside him.
Simone turned away.
She didn't want anyone to see her crying.
But Sterling did.
He stood.
"Simone."
She wiped her cheeks.
"I should leave."
"No."
"I don't belong here."
Sterling looked around the ballroom.
At the wealthy guests.
At the broken glasses.
At the people who had watched his wife nearly strike his mother.
Then he looked at his sister.
"You belong with your family."
Simone gave a bitter smile.
"I haven't had a family in three years."
Sterling's voice broke.
"That's my fault."
"No."
"It is."
He stepped toward her.
"I should have looked."
Simone whispered:
"Yes.
You should have."
He nodded.
"I know."
Three Years in the Shadows
Simone had not planned to become a waitress.
She had planned to become a nurse.
That was the dream she and her mother had shared.
But life had other plans.
When their father died, Sterling had been twenty-eight and Simone twenty-three.
Sterling became obsessed with building his company.
Simone stayed close to Harriet.
They were different, but they had always been close.
Then Sterling met Margot.
At first, Simone liked her.
Margot was charming.
Confident.
Elegant.
She knew how to walk into a room and make everyone look at her.
But slowly, things changed.
Margot began telling Sterling that Simone was too dependent.
Then too emotional.
Then irresponsible.
Then greedy.
Every disagreement became evidence that Simone was a problem.
When Harriet became ill, Margot took control of her medical care.
At first, Sterling thought it was helpful.
He was working eighteen-hour days.
He trusted his wife.