Chapter 3 - THE VIDEO WALTER HAD ALREADY SEEN
Patricia opened the video.
Grant could not stop her.
She watched the first thirty seconds.
Her face changed.
Not shock at the kiss.
Something colder.
She turned the volume up.
Brooke’s voice:
“And your parents?”
Grant:
“They’ll handle Audrey.”
Patricia stopped the video.
Looked at Grant.
“What did you tell her?”
Grant swallowed.
“Nothing.”
Walter opened his own copy.
He watched longer.
Then abruptly stood.
“Where was this recorded?”
Grant said:
“The guesthouse.”
Walter went pale.
That was the first sign.
Patricia noticed.
“So?”
Walter looked at Grant.
“Who else was there that night?”
Silence.
Then Grant said:
“Brooke.”
Walter’s voice sharpened.
“Who else?”
Grant looked down.
Patricia stared between them.
“What is going on?”
Walter turned off his phone.
“We need to go to Audrey.”
Grant shook his head.
“No.”
“Now.”
“She’s emotional.”
Patricia’s expression changed.
“Do not use that word tonight.”
Grant looked at her.
For once, his mother was not protecting him.
Then Walter said:
“If Audrey has the full recording, we have a legal problem.”
Patricia stared.
“What legal problem?”
Walter closed his eyes.
Six months earlier, Whitaker Development faced a major problem involving the Harrow Point redevelopment.
The city had discovered contaminated soil beneath parcels the company planned to convert into luxury housing.
Cleanup costs could exceed $80 million.
The company had environmental insurance.
But coverage depended on when senior leadership first knew contamination was likely.
Walter and Grant had known earlier than they disclosed.
Not because they caused the contamination.
The land had been industrial for decades.
But early internal reports showed warning signs.
If insurers proved Whitaker executives concealed prior knowledge, coverage could be denied and regulators could investigate disclosure failures.
The guesthouse meeting had included:
Grant,
Walter,
company counsel,
and Brooke.
Brooke was communications consultant.
She was not supposed to be in the legal strategy session.
But she knew.
Worse, she recorded parts of it.
Why?
Protection.
Walter had discovered the recording weeks earlier.
He ordered Grant to end the affair and retrieve every copy.
Grant lied and said he had.
Patricia stared.
“You knew about the affair?”
Walter said nothing.
That was answer enough.
She slapped the table.
“You knew?”
“I knew enough.”
“And you said nothing to me?”
“This was about the company.”
Patricia laughed bitterly.
Of course.
The Whitaker answer to everything.
Then Grant whispered:
“If Audrey sends the wrong clip to anyone—”
Walter cut him off.
“She has every right to send evidence about her marriage.”
Grant stared.
Walter continued:
“But if Brooke mixed private footage with privileged corporate material, we need counsel.”
Patricia looked at her son.
“Why did Brooke record you?”
Grant said:
“She didn’t trust me.”
Patricia almost laughed.
“Smartest thing she did.”
Then Grant’s phone rang.
Audrey.
He stared.
Did not answer.
Patricia said:
“Answer your wife.”
Grant whispered:
“She’s not going to listen.”
May you like
Walter said:
“Then for once, you will.”
