22. August 2024
22
August 2024
T he four board members were all looking straight at Nigel, who sat red-faced and quite silent.
‘Anything you wish to add, Mr Thompson?’ David asked him, his tone laced with disapproval. The circumstances surrounding the $20,000 donation was brand-new information.
Nigel crossed and uncrossed his legs. ‘Only that Mr Gallo made the donation prior to Miss Hayes being offered the part. It was never conditional.’
An abrupt laugh came from Harrison. ‘Mr Gallo knew you would give him whatever he wanted. Let’s not confuse smug entitlement with generosity.’
Nigel didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the table.
Vaughn remained relaxed in his chair, not so much as glancing in Harrison’s direction, while Willow wilted in hers. She felt like she’d thrown poor Nigel to the sharks. Unfortunately, the donation was an essential part of this story—and something Vaughn had failed to mention earlier.
Caroline finished writing something down, then looked up at Willow. ‘I imagine the arrest was a bit of a shock.’
Willow swallowed. ‘Yes.’
‘Then to learn of the… donation while Mr Gallo was still in police custody.’ She crinkled her nose. ‘It must have really knocked you over.’
It had completely winded her. ‘I was surprised to learn of it, yes.’
Patrick referred to his notes. ‘So, the two of you had only been dating a few days at that point?’
‘They were never dating,’ Harrison said, visibly agitated by the suggestion. ‘I’m sorry to anyone hoping for a love story’—he looked pointedly at Caroline—‘but it was just a fling that lasted a few days.’
Vaughn turned his head, not to look at Harrison but at Willow. She knew he was thinking the same thing she was. It wasn’t some fling that lasted a few days. It was an obsession that spanned months and continued to consume them both.
‘Is that how you would describe the relationship, Mr Gallo?’ Caroline asked, catching the exchange between him and Willow. ‘As a fling?’
Vaughn looked back at her. ‘Some things are difficult to define, Ms Roche. You’re free to label the relationship however you wish in order to keep things moving.’
Willow could have sworn she saw Caroline suppress a smile as she looked down at her notebook.
They all sat in silence while Mary jotted down a few more notes. Harrison’s foot moved relentlessly under the table the entire time. Willow couldn’t remember ever seeing him so on edge.
Finally, Mary placed her pen down and looked up. ‘So, while Mr Gallo was cleared of any connection with the Chinatown incident, it was his donation that ultimately separated the two of you.’ She looked from Vaughn to Willow.
Vaughn leaned forwards for his glass of water, taking a sip and setting it down again. It seemed he was going to make Willow answer that one.
‘Correct,’ she said, her palms heating in her lap.
What she didn’t say was that the donation was only the beginning of the end. It was the reason they fought but not what broke them. The real damage came later. An incident that would remain between Willow and Vaughn. An incident that was not for the ears in that boardroom…