Chapter 25 - PRESTON FINALLY SAYS WHAT HE WAS AFRAID OF

Preston testified in his own financial case.

His attorney likely regretted it.

He began with company history.

Twelve years.

Sixty employees.

Projects.

Awards.

Then the cash crisis.

"Did you believe the company would fail?"

"No."

"Did you fear layoffs?"

"Yes."

"Did you expect the disputed client payment?"

"Yes."

"Did you intend to repay any money used from the maternity reserve?"

"Yes."

Then:

"Did you believe Camille’s father would suffer a permanent loss?"

"No."

Defense rested emotionally on that.

Then prosecution.

"Did Camille approve using pregnancy money for payroll?"

"No."

"Insurance?"

"No."

"Subcontractors on unrelated jobs?"

"No."

"Did Orlando Castellani approve it?"

"No."

"Then whose money were you temporarily lending to yourself?"

Preston looked down.

"His."

There.

"Did you tell him?"

"No."

"Did you tell Camille?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because she would say no."

Simple.

Then the signature.

"Did Camille personally approve the $300,000 reserve?"

"No."

"Did you cause her signature image to be placed on the document?"

Long pause.

"Yes."

There.

"Why?"

"Because I believed her earlier authorization covered household expenses."

"Did this reserve fund household expenses?"

"Eventually it would."

"Immediately?"

"No."

"What immediately?"

"My company."

Then the kitchen.

"Why block the door?"

"I wanted her to stay until Orlando arrived."

"Why?"

"So I could explain."

"Could you explain if she left?"

"Not before she called him."

"She already called him."

"Yes."

"Why grab the phone?"

"I panicked."

"Why tell her she did not leave the house?"

Preston stared at me.

Then the floor.

"Because if she left with that folder, I knew my marriage was over."

Silence.

Not the company.

Marriage.

He continued unexpectedly.

"I had spent five years telling her I would never live off her father. Then I did worse. I used him without asking."

The prosecutor asked:

"So you stopped her from leaving because you wanted to preserve the marriage?"

"I wanted five minutes where I could still pretend I could fix it."

There.

That was the emotional truth.

Then:

"Did you see your mother strike Camille?"

"Yes."

"Did you help Camille?"

"No."

"Why?"

Preston cried.

"I froze."

"Then blocked the door."

"Yes."

"Did your mother tell you to?"

"No."

"Did Camille?"

"No."

"Whose choice?"

"Mine."

No shared responsibility cloud.

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Mine.

That mattered more to me than any sentence.