I opened the portfolio and pulled out the filing document.
“This is my company,” I said, holding it up for the room to see. “It goes public in two weeks. Current valuation: one trillion dollars. That makes me the wealthiest self-made woman in America. Possibly the world.”
I let that sink in.
“So when your father said I did not belong in your world, he was right. I did not belong in your world. Your world was too small.”
Arthur looked like he might have a stroke.
Julian looked like he might faint.
Victoria looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor.
The wedding guests were pulling out their phones, texting, tweeting, recording.
This would be on every gossip site within the hour.
I had come to ruin his wedding, and I had succeeded spectacularly.
But I was not done.
I turned to my children, who had been silent through all of this, watching with the eerie calm of kids who had been prepared for chaos.
“Say hello to your father,” I told them.
Ethan stepped forward, his small hand extended.
“Hello, sir,” he said politely. “My name is Ethan Vance. It is nice to meet you, even though you abandoned us before we were born.”
I had not coached him to say that.
The kid was a natural.