“Or, perhaps, you’re just a liar who gets his kicks from trying to ruin the lives of working people for your own sick amusement.”
Gavin’s face turned beet red.
“I… I must have… automatically…”
“It wasn’t a mistake,” Eleanor said, her voice ringing with conviction. “It was a tactic.”
Gavin looked around wildly. The crowd had turned on him. The patrons who had been eyeing Eleanor with suspicion a minute ago were now staring at him with open disgust.
“The service here is terrible anyway!” Gavin shouted, trying to save face.
“I’m leaving. Julia, let’s go.”
He turned to grab Julia’s arm. Julia stood up. She picked up her clutch. She looked at Gavin with a long, hard stare. Then she looked at Eleanor.
“No,” Julia said firmly.
Gavin stopped dead.
“What did you say?”
“I said no,” Julia repeated, her voice trembling but growing stronger. “I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re a monster, Gavin. A petty, insecure, pathetic monster.”
She turned to Eleanor.
“I am so sorry for all of this. Please, forgive us.”
“Julia, get in the car now!” Gavin snarled. His polished facade had completely crumbled. He looked dangerous.
“She won’t be going with you,” the older gentleman said, calmly stepping between Gavin and Julia.
“You want to take a swing at me, old man?” Gavin stepped forward, clenching his fists.
The older man smiled. It was the smile of a wolf that had cornered its prey.
“I don’t fight with my hands,” the man said. “I destroy people in other ways. Tell me, Mr. Sterling, you run the Sterling Capital fund, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I’m the CEO and owner. What of it? You know my name, you should be scared.”
“My name is Leo Wallace,” the man said quietly.
The color didn’t just drain from Gavin’s face. It vanished, leaving a gray mask of terror. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“Wallace…” Gavin whispered, his lips dry. “As in… The Wallace Group?”
“The very same,” the man nodded. “We happen to be the majority shareholder in the bank that provides your fund’s credit line. In fact, I believe my organization holds about sixty percent of your debt portfolio.”
Gavin began to tremble visibly.
The Wallace Group was a legendary conglomerate in American business. They were the whales that ate sharks like Gavin for breakfast.
“Leo… Mr. Wallace!” Gavin stammered. His arrogant posture collapsed. “I… I had no idea. It’s an honor. Please, forgive my… temper.”
“Be quiet,” Leo cut him off. He pulled a simple phone from his pocket. “I’m about to make a call to my bank’s chairman. I think it’s time we called in your loans. All of them. Tonight.”
“No,” Gavin gasped, clutching his chest. “No, please, that would ruin me. You can’t do this over some stupid restaurant argument. This is business!”
“I can do this because I don’t like your character,” Leo Wallace said calmly.
“And I don’t entrust my money to men with no honor.”
Leo turned to Eleanor, ignoring the banker’s pleas.
“Ma’am,” Leo said. “My apologies for this circus. And permit me to add, your analysis of the Château Margaux was impeccable. It is indeed a challenging vintage that requires patience and intellect.”
He turned back to Gavin as if addressing a misbehaving child.
“Get out of here before I decide to buy your office building and have you evicted.”
Gavin looked around, trapped. He was alone, utterly defeated, and publicly humiliated by a man with real power.
He didn’t say another word. He turned and practically ran out of the restaurant. The heavy oak doors slammed shut behind him. The dining room erupted in applause, but Eleanor didn’t hear it. She was staring at Leo Wallace.
The name sounded familiar. Not from the world of finance, but from her past, from another life. Wallace… Wallace… Suddenly, a memory clicked. “The Wallace Foundation.” The largest private benefactor for the humanities and education in the country.
Leo looked at her. His eyes, lined with wrinkles, sparkled with intelligence.
“You’re Eleanor Vance, aren’t you? The one who wrote the paper on semantic shifts in language?”
Eleanor’s jaw dropped.
“You… You know my work?”
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