Chapter 5
Lucille responded by attacking Adelaide’s competence.
Not publicly.
That would have been too obvious after the reception.
Instead, she called two Bellomo relatives.
One later told Genevieve everything.
Lucille said Adelaide was becoming “confused about modern business.”
She suggested the family should consider whether a woman in her late sixties ought to retain decisive authority over major transactions.
Genevieve listened to the call summary without speaking.
Then she asked Claire, “What happens if my mother is declared incapable of managing her shares?”
Claire frowned.
“That is a serious question.”
“I know.”
“Her shares do not automatically pass to anyone. Depending on incapacity, an agent, conservator, or other legal structure could exercise rights.”
“Who is her agent?”
“You.”
Genevieve relaxed slightly.
Claire continued.
“But Adelaide changed her durable power of attorney six months ago.”
Genevieve looked up.
“To whom?”
“An independent fiduciary firm.”
Genevieve was genuinely surprised.
Her mother had not told her.
Adelaide explained later.
“I didn’t want you managing my affairs while also managing the family.”
“You trust strangers more?”
“I trust systems more.”
Genevieve almost laughed.
Again, Adelaide had been ahead of everyone.
Lucille’s whispered attack on her competence would not magically transfer her vote to Genevieve or Derek.
But it could discredit her.
Pressure her.
Make other shareholders more comfortable ignoring her objections.
Genevieve remembered Lucille’s words at the reception.
Your mother should remember whose family you married into.
The sentence had sounded like ordinary arrogance.
Now it sounded territorial.
Meanwhile, Bellomo’s CFO found early procurement documents prepared by Callahan Infrastructure.
They assumed Bellomo participation in three projects not yet approved by Genevieve’s board.
One presentation even listed combined revenues under the heading:
Bellomo-Callahan Strategic Group.
The date was six weeks before the wedding.
Genevieve stared at it.
“They were presenting us as merged.”
“Essentially.”
“To whom?”
“Potential lenders.”
Clue number three.
The Callahans were not waiting for the marriage to create business integration.
They had been selling the expectation of integration before Genevieve consented to it.
That evening Derek called.
Genevieve answered.
“You’re humiliating my family.”
She looked out across the estate gardens.
“Interesting choice of word.”
He went silent.
Genevieve continued.
“You humiliated my mother physically. Now you’re upset because lenders are asking questions about promises you made.”
“I was building something for us.”
“No.”
Her voice stayed calm.
May you like
“You were building something with my name.”
She ended the call.
