Everyone rose.
I smiled, shook hands, and climbed onto the stage.
Margaret embraced me for the cameras.
“You look wonderful, my love,” she whispered.
“Thank you, darling.”
I stepped to the microphone.
“Many of you are here tonight because you believe you are witnessing a transfer of power,” I began. “A passing of the torch.”
Ethan straightened proudly.
“You are,” I said. “But before we discuss the future, we must understand the foundation this family was built on.”
The room went quiet.
“People often ask me the secret to a forty-year marriage. Loyalty. Devotion. Trust.”
I turned toward Margaret.
Her smile faltered.
“Tonight,” I said, “I’ve decided to show you my secret.”
I pressed a small button in my pocket.
The lights went dark.
The massive screen behind me flickered to life.
The bridal lounge footage appeared.
Madison’s voice filled the ballroom.
“To the stupidest man in Boston.”
Then Margaret’s laugh.
“To Charles. The goose that lays the golden eggs.”
A gasp swept across the room.
Margaret lunged toward me.
“Charles! Turn it off! The screen has been hacked!”
I stood still.
“Sit down, Margaret. The presentation is not over.”
The video continued.
The ballroom watched my wife and daughter-in-law discuss debts, fake pregnancy plans, hidden property, and control of my fortune.
Then Margaret’s voice echoed through the speakers.
