Chapter 3: The Warning That Came Before the Slap
“Read that name again.””
Elijah's voice was barely above a whisper.
Richard Lawson swallowed.
“Catherine Whitmore.””
Victoria's face changed.
“That's impossible.””
Naomi looked at her.
“Who is Catherine Whitmore?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Richard cleared his throat.
“Catherine is the chairwoman of the Whitmore Museum Foundation.””
Elijah stared at the screen.
Catherine Whitmore.
For twelve years, she had sat beside him at foundation meetings.
She had attended charity dinners with his late wife, Patricia.
She had visited his home.
She had even sent flowers when Naomi's mother passed away.
And now her name was attached to a complaint instructing museum staff to deny Naomi entry.
Elijah slowly handed the tablet back.
“Call Catherine.””
Richard hesitated.
“She's in the private dining room.””
“Then bring her here.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“Mr. Carter, this is getting out of hand. Catherine wouldn't have known anything about what happened.””
Naomi looked at her.
“You said that you didn't know who I was.””
Victoria pressed her lips together.
Naomi continued.
“But somebody did.””
Victoria's eyes flickered.
Daniel stared at the floor.
The security supervisor opened the report again.
“There's an attachment, sir.””
Elijah looked at him.
“What kind?””
“An internal email.””
Richard leaned over.
“Open it.””
The supervisor tapped the screen.
A message appeared.
*From: Catherine Whitmore*
*Subject: Special Handling Request — Naomi Carter*
Please ensure Naomi Carter does not receive access to the Founders' Gala. Her attendance may create unnecessary complications with the Carter family. If she arrives, refer the matter to Victoria and Daniel. Do not escalate it to the foundation office without my approval.
Below the message was a second note.
This needs to remain discreet.
Naomi read it twice.
Her fingers tightened around Amara's blanket.
“Why would she do that?””
Elijah looked at his daughter.
“I don't know yet.””
Victoria suddenly spoke.
“That's not the entire story.””
Everyone turned.
Richard frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria looked at Daniel.
He shook his head slightly.
She ignored him.
“Catherine told me there was a family dispute. She said Naomi had been warned not to attend.””
Naomi stared.
“A family dispute?””
Victoria nodded quickly.
“She told us your attendance could embarrass the foundation.””
Naomi shook her head.
“I haven't spoken to Catherine in almost a year.””
Elijah's face tightened.
“Why?””
Naomi looked at her father.
“Because she told me Mom's memorial project was never going to be funded.””
Elijah turned toward her.
“What?””
Naomi adjusted her daughter.
“After Mom died, I wanted to establish a small exhibition featuring the work of local Black women artists. Mom used to support them. I thought the museum would be the perfect place.””
Elijah's expression softened.
“Your mother would have loved that.””
“I submitted the proposal last year. Catherine said the museum wasn't interested.””
Richard looked surprised.
“I'm not aware of any such proposal.””
Naomi frowned.
“You weren't?””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
Elijah turned toward him.
“Find it.””
Richard nodded.
“I'll check the foundation records.””
Naomi continued.
“Catherine told me she would personally review it. Then she stopped returning my calls.””
Victoria crossed her arms defensively.
“I had nothing to do with that.””
Naomi looked at her.
“You had enough to do with hitting me.””
A few guests shifted uneasily.
Evelyn Brooks stepped beside Naomi.
“May I hold your bag while you settle the baby?””
Naomi nodded gratefully.
“Thank you.””
Evelyn picked up the brown bag and placed it on the bench.
Then she looked at Victoria.
“You know, I've been attending these events for decades. I have watched people use the language of tradition to hide some very ugly behavior.””
Victoria looked away.
At that moment, the private dining room doors opened.
A woman in her early sixties entered.
Catherine Whitmore wore a midnight-blue gown, a pearl necklace, and a silver brooch shaped like a rose.
She was elegant, composed, and visibly annoyed.
She looked at Richard.
“What is going on?””
Richard stepped forward.
“Catherine, we need to discuss an incident involving Naomi Carter.””
Catherine's eyes moved toward Naomi.
For a split second, something like recognition crossed her face.
Then she smiled.
“Oh, Naomi.””
Naomi didn't return the smile.
Catherine approached.
“I'm sorry you've found yourself in an uncomfortable situation.””
Elijah stepped between them.
“Don't.””
Catherine stopped.
“Excuse me?””
“Don't pretend you just found out she was here.””
Catherine glanced at the tablet.
Her expression remained controlled.
“I don't know what you're referring to.””
Richard held up the screen.
“Your email.””
Catherine looked at it.
Then she sighed.
“I was trying to prevent an unfortunate family situation from becoming a public spectacle.””
Elijah stared at her.
“What family situation?””
Catherine looked at Naomi.
“I believe she should explain that herself.””
Naomi shook her head.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
Catherine's smile disappeared.
“Really?””
She glanced toward the surrounding guests.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Naomi, perhaps we should speak privately.””
“No.””
Catherine blinked.
“What?””
“You wanted me outside when nobody could see what happened. Now you want me somewhere private. I'm staying right here.””
A few guests murmured.
Elijah looked at his daughter with quiet pride.
Catherine's jaw tightened.
“Very well.””
She turned to Elijah.
“I understand you're upset, but we need to consider the institution's reputation.””
Elijah laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
“Catherine, my daughter was slapped in this lobby. My granddaughter was frightened. And your first concern is the institution's reputation?””
“I was not aware Victoria would take things that far.””
Victoria immediately looked up.
“Catherine!””
Catherine raised a hand.
“I'm speaking.””
Victoria fell silent.
Elijah noticed the exchange.
“So you were aware that Naomi would be denied entry?””
Catherine hesitated.
“I asked that her attendance be handled carefully.””
“Why?””
Catherine glanced toward the guests.
“Because she has been making accusations about the foundation.””
Naomi frowned.
“What accusations?””
Catherine turned toward her.
“Your mother left certain expectations behind. You believed the museum owed you something.””
Naomi's eyes widened.
“My mother never asked you for anything.””
“She expected us to fund a project that was never approved.””
“You said you would review it.””
“And I did.””
“No, you didn't.””
Catherine's voice sharpened.
“Naomi, you're young. You don't understand how large institutions work.””
Naomi looked down at Amara.
Then she looked back up.
“I understand what it feels like to be promised something and then ignored.””
Catherine sighed.
“This is exactly why I didn't want you attending tonight.””
Elijah stepped forward.
“Enough.””
He looked at Richard.
“Where is the original project proposal?””
Richard tapped his phone.
“I'm checking now.””
Catherine's expression changed.
“You don't need to involve the entire board in a personal disagreement.””
Elijah turned.
“It's not personal anymore.””
Richard's phone buzzed.
He opened an email.
Then another.
His face became increasingly serious.
“Mr. Carter?””
“What?””
“I found the proposal.””
Naomi stepped closer.
“Is it there?””
Richard nodded.
“Yes.””
He scrolled.
“Submitted eleven months ago. Complete budget. Artist biographies.
Community impact statement. Letters of support.””
Evelyn leaned forward.
“Who reviewed it?””
Richard continued reading.
“Catherine Whitmore.””
Catherine lifted her chin.
“I already explained that.””
Richard shook his head.
“No, Catherine. There's something else.””
He opened the next document.
“The proposal was marked as approved for preliminary funding.””
Elijah looked at him.
“By whom?””
Richard stared at the screen.
“By the foundation's finance committee.””
Naomi's mouth fell open.
“But Catherine told me it was rejected.””
Richard shook his head.
“It wasn't.””
He turned the screen toward Naomi.
There was an approval date.
A proposed budget.
And a signature.
Catherine's signature.
Naomi looked at the document.
“Why would you tell me it was rejected?””
Catherine remained silent.
Elijah took the tablet.
“Richard, how much funding was approved?””
“Two million dollars.””
The guests began whispering.
Two million dollars.
The amount Naomi had spent eleven months believing the museum had refused to provide.
Elijah looked at Catherine.
“Where did that money go?””
Catherine's expression finally cracked.
“That funding was reallocated.””
“To what?””
“The foundation had other priorities.””
“Which priorities?””
Catherine glanced at Victoria.
Then at Daniel.
Then back at Elijah.
“It's complicated.””
Elijah's voice hardened.
“Money doesn't disappear because something is complicated.””
Richard scrolled further.
“There's a transfer record.””
The security supervisor moved closer.
Richard read the details.
“The funding was transferred to an outside event-management account.””
Victoria went pale.
Daniel took a step backward.
Naomi looked at the two of them.
“Wait.””
She turned toward her father.
“Dad, what does that mean?””
Elijah didn't answer immediately.
He was studying the transfer information.
The account belonged to a company called Whitmore Event Consulting.
Richard looked up.
“That's not a registered museum vendor.””
Catherine's face had gone completely still.
Elijah turned the tablet toward her.
“Would you like to explain why a community arts grant was transferred into a private company?””
Catherine lifted her chin.
“I will speak to the board about this.””
“No,” Elijah replied.
“You'll speak to the auditors.””
The room erupted in whispers.
Victoria looked terrified.
Daniel's hands began to shake.
Naomi held Amara closer.
She had come to the gala expecting to attend an event honoring her mother's legacy.
She hadn't expected to be slapped.
She hadn't expected her father to arrive.
And she certainly hadn't expected to discover that the project she had spent nearly a year fighting for had already been approved.
But the worst part was still ahead.
Richard opened one final attachment.
“Mr. Carter, there's another document connected to this transfer.””
Elijah looked at him.
“What document?””
Richard swallowed.
“An authorization form.””
He enlarged the screen.
At the bottom was a handwritten signature.
Naomi leaned closer.
Her breath caught.
Because the signature wasn't Catherine's.
It belonged to someone else.
Someone who had been standing beside her father at every foundation meeting.
Someone who had helped plan the entire gala.
Someone Naomi had trusted.
Elijah stared at the signature.
Then he slowly looked toward the entrance of the private dining room.
“Bring me the person who signed this.””
May you like
And from somewhere behind the crowd, a familiar voice answered:
“There's no need. I'm already here.””