“At my son’s wedding, you pointed at me in front o…

His eyes were wide, his jaw had dropped. He looked like someone had just told him the sky was falling. “That’s right,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

“Every single bill you submitted for this wedding was paid by Meridian Ridge Holdings.”

I paused, letting the name sink in. “A company I own. Completely.”

The ballroom erupted into chaos.

People turned to their neighbors, whispering frantically. Some pulled out their phones, probably trying to search for information. Others simply sat in stunned silence, trying to process what they had just heard.