Chapter 7 - The Investor They Never Met
Aster Vale Capital had invested $28.6 million into Vance Construction.
Not as a favor.
As a transaction.
The money came from distributions lawfully made from my separate family trust into my wholly owned investment holding company.
Sophia had made sure separation was clean.
My father taught me to document generosity before people rewrote it.
Aster Vale received:
62 percent voting equity.
Three board seats.
Protective rights over major transactions.
Rights tied to company owned real estate.
Dominic remained CEO because I insisted.
That was detail he did not know.
The original investment committee had recommended replacing management.
I said no.
“Dominic knows business.”
I believed in him.
The mansion transaction was equally plain.
Vance family had pledged home to company-related debt.
To avoid foreclosure during recapitalization, Aster Vale Property Holdings purchased at independently appraised value, satisfied debt, and leased back under favorable family occupancy agreement.
Victoria had signed acknowledgment.
She later pretended investor was benevolent bank.
Now, after hospital, I finally attended an Aster Vale meeting as owner rather than shadow.
Sophia.
My family office director, Henry Walsh.
Two independent advisors.
I sat at long conference table wearing simple black dress.
No hospital bracelet.
Scar near hairline still visible.
Henry said:
“The question is not whether you can remove Dominic.”
“What is question?”
“Whether governance process should.”
Good.
“I don’t want revenge vote.”
“We won’t.”
Independent special committee would determine employment.
I recused from any decision based solely on marital conduct.
The audit committee reviewed company violations.
If Dominic stayed, board could retain.
If fired, board would act.
I would not call one man and say destroy husband.
That mattered.
Then mansion.
“Do you want Victoria removed?”
I thought.
“Not because I own it.”
“Protective order may affect residence.”
Police/prosecutors would address no-contact zones.
Property counsel would address occupancy under contract.
Victoria’s right to live there tied partly to Dominic’s executive position but not instantly terminated.
We would follow agreement.
No cinematic midnight eviction.
Then Henry asked:
“Do you want disclose beneficial ownership publicly?”
“No.”
“Dominic will learn in discovery.”
“Yes.”
“Board already needs conflict disclosure.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Why keep private now?”
I thought.
“Because I don’t want story to become billionaire wife revenge.”
That was not story.
A woman had been shoved.
A child lost.
A marriage ended.
Money only changed what I could protect afterward.
Then law enforcement.
Sarah Collins gave statement.
She saw Victoria push.
Another witness came forward:
A caterer named Benjamin Rhodes had been carrying trays near hallway.
He heard:
Victoria:
“If you leave Dominic, you leave with nothing.”
Audrey:
“I’m not afraid of you.”
Then noise.
He turned and saw me falling.
Not shove itself.
Corroboration.
Then staircase camera disabled.
Dominic’s text from Victoria.
Turn staircase camera off.
Then after fall, Victoria texted him:
Tell staff she slipped.
Dominic responded:
I’m handling it.
That was worse.
No ambiguity.
He had participated in concealment after.
Then Sarah said Dominic instructed:
“No police. She fell.”
That could support obstruction/false statement if later repeated to authorities.
Dominic’s attorney changed strategy.
He stopped denying.
He offered cooperation regarding Victoria.
Not to avoid all consequence.
To separate.
Exactly as Frank-like patterns in other story? But independent, fine.
Then Paige’s attorney requested same.
Victoria was becoming center.
But another twist emerged.
Victoria had not just hated me because I was poor.
She had been investigating me.
A private investigator’s invoice appeared in her personal expenses.
Subject:
Audrey Vance.
Dates:
Four months.
Why?
Not affair.
May you like
Money.
Victoria had realized something about Aster Vale before anyone else.
