whispered,
“You recorded us?”
“My security system did.”
Lena explained the rest.
The insurer had accepted the claim subject to review.
Sterling had accelerated my acquisition, funded a temporary production facility, and preserved losses for recovery.
Prosecutors were reviewing charges, while Sterling and the insurer intended to seek restitution and civil damages.
Madison stared at me.
“You’re going to let them come after us over kitchen equipment?”
“You didn’t attack equipment. You attacked forty-two people’s livelihoods because I refused to surrender mine.”
Dad slammed his palm against the table.
“We made you!”
“No. You taught me exactly what I never wanted to become.”
For once, nobody argued back.
Their arrogance finally collapsed when Lena revealed the number.
Between structural damage, specialized equipment, spoiled inventory, emergency vendor costs, lost revenue, and security repairs, the initial combined claim exceeded four hundred thousand dollars.
And Madison still owed nearly a million.
