It would be, in every way that mattered, ruin.
Liam's lie, however...
A "breakdown." A "private family matter." A "tragedy."
A breakdown was survivable. It was sad, yes, but it was contained. It saved the merger. It saved the Vale name from the one thing it could not survive: humiliation.
Liam was offering him a lifeline. And they both knew it.
"A breakdown," Henry said, the words tasting like ash. "A... a nervous breakdown. The pressure. It was all too much."
Liam nodded, his expression one of profound, shared sorrow. "Exactly. A terrible, tragic episode. We are, of course, devastated. Our only concern is for her health and her privacy."
He was already writing the press release.
"Go," Liam ordered, placing a firm, supportive hand on his father-in-law's shoulder. "Go and be the fat
