Chapter 4 - Bloodline Bankruptcy
The foyer descended into an absolute, suffocating panic.
My father looked like he was about to suffer a stroke.
His eyes darted from Julian Van Doren’s shocked expression to the black cases the MPs were carrying down the stairs.
“Julian, please,” Richard stammered, rushing toward his potential investor.
“This is a private matter.”
“It’s a family squabble that got out of hand.”
“We can explain everything inside the study.”
Julian Van Doren did not move toward the study.
In fact, he stepped back, creating clear physical distance between himself and my father.
“A family squabble, Richard?” Julian asked, his voice hardening into cold, corporate clarity.
“General Hale is one of the most respected commanders in this country.”
“He oversees logistical defense contracts that my company bids on every quarter.”
“And your wife destroyed his wife’s uniform?”
“No!” Mom cried, stepping forward frantically.
“Julian, you don't understand!”
“Emily is my daughter!”
“I raised her!”
“She has always been rebellious, always trying to upstage her brother!”
“She brought a combat uniform to a black-tie wedding!”
“I was simply trying to maintain decorum for Clara and Lucas!”
Clara Van Doren, who had been standing silently beside Lucas, suddenly spoke up.
“Wait a minute.”
Clara looked at my mother, her brows furrowed in disgust.
“You cut up your daughter's clothes because of my wedding?”
Mom nodded desperately, thinking she had found an ally.
“Yes! To protect the elegance of your day, Clara!”
“I know how important tradition is to your family!”
“Don’t put this on me!” Clara snapped, her voice ringing clear through the foyer.
“I never asked you to police what Emily wears!”
“Lucas told me his sister was an Army doctor who saved lives overseas!”
“I was honored she was coming at all!”
“You used my name to justify doing something completely deranged!”
Lucas reached out to touch Clara’s arm.
“Clara, babe, calm down—”
“Don't touch me, Lucas,” Clara said, pulling away sharply.
“Did you know about this?”
“Did you know your mother was planning to shred your sister's clothes?”
“No!” Lucas lied instantly, though the guilt was written all over his face.
“I didn’t know anything about it!”
“You lied,” I said, stepping forward.
The room went dead silent again.
Lucas looked at me, pleading with his eyes.
“Emily, please. Not now.”
“You were in the hallway outside my room an hour ago, Lucas,” I said, my voice steady and measured.
“I heard you talking to Mom before she came inside with the shears.”
“You told her, ‘Make sure she doesn’t wear that damn uniform in the family pictures.’”
“‘I don’t want my wedding album looking like a military recruitment poster.’”
Julian Van Doren turned his gaze toward Lucas.
The look on Julian’s face was pure venom.
“Is that true, Lucas?” Julian asked.
Lucas opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
His face turned bright red.
Staff Sergeant Miller reached the bottom of the stairs, holding a heavy evidence bag containing the shredded fabric of my dress jacket.
The brass buttons were clearly visible through the clear plastic.
Beside him, the second MP carried the slashed civilian dresses.
“General Hale, Sir,” Miller reported crisply.
“Evidence collected and logged.”
“We also recovered the cutting instrument from the master dresser.”
“Kitchen shears, eight inches, bearing biological material matching the fabric fibers.”
“Very well,” Alexander replied.
He turned to my father.
“Richard, the United States Army Medical Department takes property damage and harassment of active-duty surgical officers very seriously.”
“Major Carter is scheduled to deploy to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in three weeks as Chief of Trauma Support.”
“Any intentional attempt to disrupt her readiness or destroy her official dress uniform carries severe penal consequences under Title 18.”
Richard’s knees actually buckled.
He had to lean against the mahogany console table to keep his balance.
“General... please.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I am filing an official police report with the Fairfax County Sheriff's Department,” Alexander said without hesitation.
“And the military legal counsel will be reviewing charges for civil conversion and destruction of property.”
Mom let out a loud wail.
“You’re going to arrest me?”
“At my own son’s wedding?”
“You are doing this to your own mother, Emily?”
“You brought this upon yourself, Helen,” Alexander said, cutting her off with absolute finality.
Julian Van Doren looked at his watch.
Then he looked at Richard.
“Richard, we need to speak outside.”
“Julian, please, the warehouse contract—”
“The contract is dead, Richard,” Julian said coldly.
“I do not do business with people whose domestic lives are so reckless that military police have to secure the premises.”
“Nor do I associate my family name with people who treat honorable service members with such utter contempt.”
Eleanor Van Doren took Clara’s hand.
“Clara, we are leaving.”
“Mom, wait!” Lucas yelled, panic finally overtaking him.
“Clara, we have the rehearsal dinner in three hours!”
“The venue is booked!”
“The deposits are paid!”
Clara looked at Lucas, shaking her head slowly.
May you like
“I don't think there’s going to be a rehearsal dinner, Lucas.”
“In fact, I don't know if there's going to be a wedding at all.”
