Chapter 6 - Ethan Had His Own Reason to Distrust Charity Contracts
Ethan’s skepticism did not come from nowhere either.
During an earlier deployment, one of his soldiers returned home after injury and received help from a different veterans charity.
The charity promised temporary housing.
Contractor failed.
Family spent three weeks in an extended-stay hotel waiting for reimbursement.
Nothing criminal.
Just poor vendor oversight.
Ethan never forgot.
Military families became marketing material too easily.
Beautiful photos.
Flags.
Children.
Uniforms.
Then contracts nobody read.
So whenever organizations asked for his name, Ethan became difficult.
Some called it:
principled.
Others:
self-important.
Both sometimes true.
Ethan enjoyed being the officer who asked the uncomfortable question.
His commander once told him:
“You are addicted to being the only adult in the room.”
That criticism stung because it contained truth.
Then Vivienne.
Ethan disliked her before Valor.
Not personally at first.
Professionally.
She loved polished language.
Transformative support ecosystems.
Legacy impact.
Military-family resilience activation.
Ethan preferred:
How many apartments?
What rent?
How long?
Who gets help?
That stylistic difference became mutual contempt.
Then the Valor deal.
Ethan asked reasonable questions.
He also assumed Vivienne would hate them.
He went into the process expecting:
spin.
When she delayed documents, he interpreted:
concealment.
Sometimes delays were ordinary.
Legal review.
Vendor confidentiality.
He did not always distinguish.
Then one email he sent to Margaret Sloan:
If Vivienne is involved, I would independently verify every claim.
Too broad.
Margaret later showed him.
Ethan winced.
“That was unfair.”
“Yes,” Margaret said.
Then:
“She still failed disclosure.”
Both.
Ethan apologized to Vivienne eventually for one part.
“I treated your reputation for aggressive fundraising as evidence you were probably hiding something before I knew what.”
Vivienne answered:
“You were right.”
“That doesn’t make the assumption fair.”
She looked at him.
He continued:
“Evidence should make me right. Not dislike.”
That distinction mattered.
Then Lily.
Ethan’s moral certainty became dangerous in another way.
After the juice incident he wanted Vivienne banned from all Cross Foundation programs.
Charles stopped him.
“You do not run my foundation.”
Ethan bristled.
“She humiliated my daughter.”
“Yes.”
“She shoved me.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re keeping her?”
Charles answered:
“I’m investigating her role. You do not get to convert what happened to Lily into governance authority.”
Ethan hated:
that.
Then realized Charles was right.
Protective father did not equal foundation chairman.
The Cross Foundation would decide employment and governance through process.
Ethan would decide whether Lily ever attended another event involving Vivienne.
Different powers.
May you like
Good.
---
