Chapter 10 - WHY DIANE THOUGHT SHE DESERVED IT
Diane’s motive was not only greed.
She believed the Carter Foundation existed because of her too.
When Richard Carter built his business, Diane had introduced him to two early hospital buyers through her professional network.
Later, when the foundation launched, she left a higher-paying corporate job to run it.
For years she worked longer hours than Linda.
Linda chaired galas.
Diane handled:
contracts,
staff problems,
vendor emergencies,
grant deadlines.
She began saying privately:
“Linda gets the name. I do the work.”
Resentment grew.
Then she started accepting small benefits.
A vendor sent her husband’s company business.
A consultant paid a referral fee.
Diane told herself:
earned.
Not stolen.
Then family members received opportunities.
Still:
earned.
By the time Emily joined the committee, Diane no longer saw herself as conflicted.
She saw Emily as inexperienced.
Privileged.
A daughter walking into governance because of blood.
The irony was enormous.
Diane resented family privilege while using family trust to avoid oversight.
Then Emily questioned her.
Diane felt:
ungrateful,
replaced,
judged.
The gender reveal deadline became symbolic.
After this baby, Linda would care even more about Emily’s branch of the family.
Diane felt herself becoming less central.
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So she tried to stop one conversation.
And endangered the person she claimed to love.
