Chapter 12 - Victoria Opened Sterling’s Old Books
The forensic review of Sterling Properties lasted nearly a year.
It found that Edward had used funds connected to Bellweather in two
early property acquisitions.
The amounts were small compared with the company’s current value.
That did not make them irrelevant.
Victoria and Daniel fought bitterly.
Daniel wanted to settle quietly.
Victoria refused.
“We inherited the benefit. We can inherit the responsibility to address
it.”
Daniel accused her of destroying their father’s name.
Victoria answered:
“Dad made his name. I’m finding out what it cost.”
Eventually the company established a restitution fund supporting housing
programs for women and children.
Independent directors supervised it.
Victoria stepped down temporarily as chair during the review.
Laura watched from a distance.
She did not suddenly admire Victoria.
But she respected that choice.
The Bennett family had its own accounting to do.
Samuel’s $15,000 payment from Edward had helped pay the down payment on
the house Laura grew up in.
The house had been sold years earlier.
Laura calculated what the money would be worth with reasonable growth
and donated that amount to the same independent fund.
Peter contributed too.
Nobody required them to.
Sophie asked:
“Are we giving money because Grandpa was bad?”
Laura answered carefully.
“We’re giving money because some of what helped our family came from
something he should not have done.”
“Does that fix it?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because not being able to fix everything doesn’t mean we do nothing.”
Sophie accepted that.
The answer stayed with Laura too.
May you like
Repair was not time travel.
It was choosing what to do once the truth became yours.
