Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT OF THE GALA
Northline announced a charity gala three weeks later.
The event was intended to celebrate a new urban renewal project. Julian's name appeared on the invitation as the evening's principal sponsor. The Nora Vale Foundation was listed among the beneficiaries.
Nora stared at the invitation Evelyn had received through a public filing.
“He's still using my name.”
“He may be using the foundation's name in promotional material,” Evelyn said. “We have sent a notice disputing your authorization. We cannot control whether he holds the event, but we can document the representation.”
Nora did not want to attend.
Then she saw the program.
The old studio building was listed as the foundation's first community arts center.
Julian was planning to announce that he had donated the property.
The property that had belonged to her mother's estate.
“I want to stop him,” Nora said.
Evelyn was careful.
“We can seek urgent legal relief if the facts support it. Attending the gala is not necessary and could expose you to risk.”
“I don't want to go there to confront him. I want the public record corrected.”
Adrian, who had joined the call at Evelyn's invitation, offered a different suggestion.
“Your attorney can send a formal notice to the event organizers and the venue. If they proceed with a false statement after receiving it, that may matter. You don't need to stand in front of a crowd to make the truth real.”
Nora sat back.
He was right.
Evelyn drafted a notice identifying the disputed property transfer and the unauthorized use of Nora's name. It was sent to the event's organizers, the venue, and Northline's legal department.
The following evening, the gala went ahead.
Nora watched the livestream from Lena's apartment. Julian stood beneath a screen showing a rendering of the proposed arts center.
He looked polished and relaxed.
“Tonight,” he announced, “we celebrate a gift made possible by the generosity of the Nora Vale Foundation.”
A message appeared on the screen.
The program paused.
The event host returned to the microphone and announced that the property transfer was under legal review and that the foundation's authorization had been disputed. The organizers would not accept or announce the donation until the matter was resolved.
Julian's smile disappeared.
The camera shifted away from him.
Lena let out a breath.
“He can't pretend he didn't know.”
Nora watched the screen.
For months, Julian had controlled the story by speaking first and speaking confidently. Now, for once, someone had interrupted him with facts.
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She let it go to voicemail.
May you like
A moment later, a message arrived.
You think you've won. You haven't seen the documents I have.
