Lily wore a simple navy dress.
Daniel stared.
"What?"
"You look beautiful."
"You sound surprised."
"I'm not."
He smiled.
"I'm just trying not to forget how to breathe."
She laughed.
When they arrived, Victoria was waiting.
The dinner table was enormous.
There were twelve places.
Only four people sat down.
Victoria.
Daniel.
Lily.
And Daniel's younger sister, Claire.
Claire was twenty-five and studying law.
Unlike her mother, she smiled warmly.
"So you're Lily."
Lily smiled.
"And you're Claire."
"I've heard a lot about you."
Daniel groaned.
"Hopefully nothing embarrassing."
Claire laughed.
"Mostly good things."
Dinner began politely.
Then the questions started.
"What are your plans for the sandwich business?" Victoria asked.
"Expansion eventually."
"How many locations?"
"I don't know."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to expand faster than I can manage."
Victoria nodded.
"Reasonable."
Lily was surprised.
Then came another question.
"Would you sign a prenuptial agreement?"
Daniel nearly dropped his fork.
"Mom!"
Lily remained calm.
"I would."
Victoria looked at her.
Daniel stared.
Lily continued.
"Not because I plan to take anything from Daniel."
"Then why?"
"Because if we marry, I want both of us to know exactly what belongs to whom."
Victoria leaned back.
For the first time that evening, she looked impressed.
Claire smiled.
Daniel reached under the table and squeezed Lily's hand.
Then the door opened.
A man entered.
Richard Bennett.
Daniel's uncle.
He was a wealthy real estate developer and one of Victoria's closest advisers.
He looked at Lily.
Then smiled.
"So this is the famous sandwich girl."
The room became silent.
Daniel stood.
"Don't."
Richard laughed.
"I'm only joking."
Lily smiled politely.
"I've been called worse."
Richard sat down.
Dinner continued.
But Lily noticed something.
Richard kept watching Daniel.
Not Lily.
Daniel.
Later, Daniel walked Lily outside.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"My uncle."
"He doesn't like me."
"He doesn't like anyone who threatens his influence."
Lily stopped.
"What do you mean?"
Daniel looked toward the mansion.
"There's something happening inside the company."
"What?"
"I don't know yet."
"But you suspect someone?"
"Yes."
Lily thought about Richard.
"Your uncle?"
Daniel nodded.
"Maybe."
They walked toward the car.
Then Lily suddenly stopped.
"Daniel."
"What?"
"Your mother isn't the only person you need to worry about."
He looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Your uncle."
Daniel's face became serious.
"Why?"
"Because he wasn't looking at me."
"He was looking at you."
"No."
Lily shook her head.
"He was watching your reaction to everything he said."
Daniel stared at her.
Then he understood.
"You're right."
The next morning, Daniel began investigating.
Within a week, he discovered irregular transactions involving one of Bennett Holdings' largest subsidiaries.
Millions of dollars had been transferred through shell companies.
The signatures appeared legitimate.
But the authorization codes were not.
Someone inside the company was stealing.
And whoever it was had access to the highest levels of management.
When Everything Falls Apart
The scandal exploded on a Monday morning.
News reports claimed that Bennett Holdings had lost hundreds of millions through fraudulent investments.
Shares dropped.
Clients panicked.
Reporters surrounded the headquarters.
Victoria was blamed.
Daniel was blamed.