He Called Every Truth a Lie novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Thirty Years of Home

The ballroom of the Fairmount Hotel held three hundred people and a banner that said Thirty Years of Home.

I went in on Ethan's arm in a green dress Bridget had bought me that morning.

Toby walked behind us in his own jacket, and Bridget walked behind him.

The cook and her daughter came in last, and they stood just inside the doors holding hands.

Heads turned all down the room.

I had been the girl in the video, and everyone had watched it.

I looked back at them and kept walking.

Inez sat at the head table in silver silk, with her pearls and her smile.

Tristram sat on her right, in a dark suit, with his eyes on his plate.

There was an empty chair on her left with my name card on it.

I did not sit down.

I stood behind the chair and put my hand on its back, and Inez looked up.

"Joanna. How lovely. Sit, dear."

"I'll stand."

"As you like."

A bank vice president in the next seat leaned over to murmur something about the lending portfolio.

Inez waved him away.

The lights dimmed, and a man in a tuxedo tapped the microphone on the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to introduce the woman who built this firm. Mrs. Inez Nordin."

The applause went on a long time.

She rose and walked up the three steps with her chin high.

"My late husband and I started this firm in a rented office," she said. "I want to thank you all, my friends, for coming to a family evening. Because families have hard seasons, and ours has had one."

I felt Ethan's hand settle at the small of my back.

"My elder son has been unwell," she said, "and my daughter-in-law has been unwell, and I'm afraid my younger son has chosen to join the people who want to hurt us. I'm announcing tonight that Toby is no longer a part of this firm or this family."

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