Chapter 17 - Bennett Residential Group collapses
Luke’s company did not collapse because I refused to save it.
That story spread anyway.
The bank declined the expanded credit facility after discovering the suspected forged guaranty.
Reasonable.
The existing line remained but under tighter conditions.
Then the water-intrusion litigation settled.
Cash outflow.
A developer delayed another payment.
Luke lost two employees.
One project was sold.
Another finished at a loss.
Bennett Residential Group downsized from twenty-three employees to eleven.
It did not disappear.
Luke blamed me publicly within his circle.
His accountant did not.
In a deposition, she said:
“The company had liquidity problems before Mrs. Bennett declined to guarantee additional debt.”
Good.
Could my signature have helped?
Yes.
Would the additional loan have saved the company?
Unknown.
Maybe bought time.
Maybe increased loss.
No one could prove the alternate future.
That mattered because Luke had built his morality around:
May you like
If Clover loved me, she would save the business.
Love is not underwriting.
