Two days passed before Vanessa contacted me.
Her message was short.
"Margaret, I'd like to talk when you have time."
I read it.
Then I placed my phone down.
I didn't feel any need to respond immediately.
My attention was on the company.
The independent review team had scheduled another meeting.
Richard had submitted additional explanations.
The finance department was checking them against the original records.
Some questions had been resolved.
Others remained open.
On Thursday morning, Rebecca entered my office.
"Richard has requested to meet with the board again."
"Has he provided the missing documentation?"
"Some of it."
"What remains outstanding?"
She showed me the list.
Several approval records still needed verification.
There were also questions about how certain expenses had been classified.
I read the details.
"Let's hear his explanation."
Rebecca arranged the meeting for the following afternoon.
Before then, I met with James.
He reported that the division was functioning under the temporary oversight arrangements.
The production schedule was stable.
Staffing was improving.
The supervisors who had transferred were settling into their new positions.
"Have there been any new employee complaints?" I asked.
"Not since the last review update."
"Good."
James looked at me.
"People seem more comfortable speaking with the independent team."
I nodded.
"That is what we wanted."
Friday afternoon, Richard entered the boardroom.
He looked less confident than before.
He placed his documents on the table.
"Thank you for meeting with me."
I gestured toward his chair.
"Please begin."
He explained the remaining transactions.
Some had been approved through departmental procedures that were no longer being used.
Others involved documentation held by different administrative teams.
The finance director asked several questions.
Richard answered most of them.
A few still required verification.
I noticed that he no longer interrupted people.
He waited until they finished speaking.
That was an improvement.
But it didn't resolve the outstanding concerns.
When the presentation ended, I asked him how he planned to address the management complaints.
He looked uncomfortable.
"I've spoken with some of the supervisors."
"And?"
"I've told them that communication needs to improve."
"Have you spoken directly with the employees who raised concerns?"
"Not individually."
"Why not?"
He hesitated.
"I thought it might make things worse."
I understood the concern.
But avoiding the people affected by his decisions would not solve anything.
"The company can arrange appropriate meetings with independent support," I said.
He nodded.
"That may be helpful."
The board discussed his position.
We agreed that the temporary oversight arrangements would remain until the financial review was complete.
We also agreed that management training and employee communication needed attention.
Richard was informed that his future responsibilities would depend on the findings and his willingness to address the concerns.
He didn't argue.
After the meeting, he approached me.
"Mrs. Collins."
I turned.
"I wanted to say something."
I waited.
"I have thought about what happened at your dinner."
I looked at him.
He lowered his voice.
"I shouldn't have spoken to you that way."
It was the first direct apology he had offered.
I didn't smile.
But I listened.
"Why did you do it?" I asked.
He looked uncomfortable.
"I suppose I wanted to impress everyone."
"By making someone else feel small?"
He lowered his eyes.
"I wasn't thinking."
I nodded.
"That's often the problem."
He took a breath.
"I apologize."
I accepted the words without making the moment larger than it was.
"Thank you for saying that."
Then I added something.
"But the company review remains separate from your apology."
"I understand."
He left.
I returned to my office.
Rebecca asked whether I felt the conversation had been useful.
"Yes. But an apology doesn't answer the financial questions."
She nodded.
That evening, I finally replied to Vanessa's message.
I told her I was willing to speak briefly at a convenient time.
She called the next morning.
Her voice sounded softer.
"Thank you for responding."
"You're welcome."
"I wanted to apologize for Friday."
I remained quiet.
"I shouldn't have laughed."
"No, you shouldn't have."
She sighed.
"I was trying to please my father."
I looked toward the garden.
"That doesn't make it right."
"I know."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she said, "Daniel told me he doesn't want to continue the engagement."
"Yes."
"I didn't think things would end this way."
I felt sorry for her.
But I also knew that Daniel had made his decision after months of feeling inadequate.
"Sometimes we don't recognize the damage until someone decides they can't live with it anymore."
She was quiet.
"I did love him."
"I believe you."
"But I wanted certain things."
I understood.
Wanting comfort wasn't wrong.
Expecting someone else to prove their worth through wealth was different.
I didn't lecture her.
I simply said, "I hope you learn from what happened."
She thanked me.
Then we ended the call.
I didn't tell Daniel about the conversation immediately.
It wasn't necessary.
He needed time to move forward.
And so did she.
Click here to continue reading: PART 19: The Final Examination Was Almost Complete, and I Had to Decide Whether Richard Could Ever Be Trusted With the Same Responsibility Again
The Evening My Future Daughter-in-Law’s Father Mistook My Quiet Life for a Reason to Humiliate Me
Part 18 of 24
