Chapter 9
Preston’s proffer lasted nearly four hours.
Giulietta was not present.
She had no right to be.
Naomi received only limited information afterward.
Enough to know that Preston was talking.
Enough to know Warren’s attorneys were suddenly trying to stop separate Hale employees from cooperating.
The most important employee was Caroline Webb, the PR director.
Her company had no intention of becoming collateral damage for Warren.
Through counsel, she produced the two draft wedding-day statements.
Statement A was harmless.
It concerned illness.
Statement B was not.
It had been created at 11:12 that morning.
Hours before the bridal-suite confrontation.
The title read:
Contingency — Behavioral Incident
Giulietta stared at it.
The body did not mention a golf club.
It did not claim violence had already occurred.
It said that if “an emotional confrontation” forced postponement of the ceremony, Hale Hospitality would request privacy while “concerns regarding Ms. Marconi’s conduct” were addressed.
Naomi tapped the phrase.
“Why would Warren expect concerns about your conduct?”
Giulietta said nothing.
The document metadata showed Warren’s assistant had sent instructions to Caroline.
The assistant was now represented by her own attorney.
She agreed to speak.
Warren had told her there might be “a scene” before the wedding.
He instructed her to have revised business papers available afterward.
“Afterward?” Giulietta asked.
“Yes.”
“What did she think that meant?”
“She says she assumed a family argument about the contract.”
That was plausible.
Then Naomi turned another page.
The assistant had also been told that if Giulietta “calmed down,” Preston would bring her to Warren’s suite before the ceremony.
The revised guarantee would be waiting.
Giulietta felt something inside her settle.
Not because she knew everything.
Because the final shape was close.
There were only two reasons to prepare paperwork after a confrontation.
Either Warren believed Giulietta would voluntarily change her mind while emotionally shaken.
Or he believed the confrontation itself would give him leverage.
Late that afternoon, Preston’s attorney requested a second proffer.
This time he was prepared to explain the golf club.
Naomi closed the file.
Giulietta looked toward the window.
Part of her had hoped Warren was merely an abusive father whose son had become worse.
May you like
That truth would have been terrible.
The truth coming toward her was more deliberate.
