He turns on you.
“Stay out of my marriage.”
You look at Clara.
“She can decide that.”
Clara’s eyes fill with tears, but she nods once.
Felipe puts a hand on your arm.
“Emma, please.”
You pull away.
“Do not touch me to stop me from saying what should have been said years ago.”
He drops his hand.
The party is dying in front of everyone.
People who arrived for grilled meat and drinks are now standing around the pool watching seven years of rot rise to the surface. No one knows where to look. That is always what happens when humiliation changes direction. People who laughed comfortably at someone else’s pain suddenly find morality.
Martin grabs the termination notice from your hand.
“This is not valid.”
“It is,” you say. “Our legal department sent the official copy to your office yesterday. This is a courtesy copy.”
He looks at the date.
“You planned this before tonight.”
“Yes.”
That stuns him.
You take a breath.
“After the birthday dinner, I reviewed the contract. I was going to terminate professionally and quietly. No public scene. No revenge. Just a business decision.”
You look around the pool area.
“Then Felipe asked me to come here for him. So I did. And you proved, in front of everyone, that quiet professionalism would have been wasted on you.”
Martin crushes the paper in his fist.
“You think you can destroy me?”
“No,” you say. “You did that by building your business on disrespect and hoping money would never ask where it was going.”
A phone rings somewhere.
Nobody answers.
Then Simon, Martin’s fishing buddy, clears his throat.
“Martin, man, did you really use her company’s designs in another pitch?”
Martin turns on him.
“Not now.”
Derek steps back.
Olivia looks at you with something like admiration.
Clara wipes her face and walks toward the house.
Martin notices.
“Where are you going?”
