Chapter 6 - An Invitation to Franklin
While the Mitchell empire was actively circling the drain on the thirty-second floor of Broadway, forty miles southwest in Franklin, Tennessee, the morning sun was warming the wide wooden porch of my farmhouse.
The air smelled of damp earth, blooming honeysuckle, and freshly brewed chicory coffee.
I sat in my favorite rocking chair, a woolen blanket draped over my knees, flipping through the quarterly reports sent over by my chief financial officer. Ethan sat on the porch swing across from me, a mug of coffee in one hand and a legal pad resting on his knee.
"You're remarkably calm for someone who just blew up a multi-million-dollar real estate deal," Ethan said, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched a pair of blue jays darting among the oak trees.
"I didn't blow up the deal, Ethan," I corrected him gently, taking a sip from my mug. "Richard Mitchell blew up his own deal thirty years ago when he decided that money was a substitute for character. I just refused to finance his collapse."
Ethan looked down at his coffee. "Did you know? When we first started dating... did you know what kind of family Vanessa came from?"
"I knew they were climbers," I said, setting my mug down on the small side table. "People who spend all their energy climbing up usually spend their time looking down at everyone else to make sure no one is catching up. I wanted to see how you would handle it when the truth came out. You passed, Ethan. You didn't hesitate."
"It wasn't a hard choice, Mom," he said quietly. "Love is blind, but it's not stupid. Once you see someone's cruelty clearly, you can't unsee it."
My phone buzzed on the wooden table.
I glanced at the screen. Caller ID: Richard Mitchell.
It was the fifth call from him in the last two hours.
I let it ring out until it went to voicemail. Then, I picked up the phone, opened my email client, and drafted a brief message to Richard Mitchell and his board of directors.
Dear Richard,
In light of recent events—specifically, the hospitality shown on your property this past Saturday—Vance Holdings is formally withdrawing its offer of equity financing.
Furthermore, pursuant to Section 9 of our preliminary memorandum of understanding, we are exercising our right to acquire the Demonbreun Street parcels at foreclosure auction this coming Thursday.
Regards, Eleanor Vance Managing Director, Vance Holdings
I hit send.
"Sent?" Ethan asked, watching me.
"Sent," I replied, leaning back in the rocking chair and listening to the rhythmic creak of the wood. "Now, let's talk about what we're going to do with those downtown parcels once we acquire them at auction."
May you like
Ethan leaned forward, his professional instincts kicking back in. "Well, the market's down, but if we rezone the lower levels for community arts spaces and affordable loft housing instead of luxury high-rises, we could revitalize that entire corridor within eighteen months."
"Now you're talking like a Vance," I smiled.
