n I had shared with Nicole and into a small, rented apartment across town. The silence was

ng voicemails. Then it was her father, his messages colder but just as menacing, full

ognize, with a Japanese country code. I let it go to voicemail. A few minutes later, a fra

d of the luxury hotel chain. I

s Nicole. Her voice was no longer angry

he phone, please, I

her

and 'undrinkable.' He's accusing us of a bait-and-switch. He's threatening to sue us for the full cont

ked. "Ethan, w

hat you told me to do, Nicole. I stepped aside. Thi

lowing your notes! He said

he distillery to check? Did you ever look at the fermentation tan

e hadn't. That was my

she whispered, a dawning horror

apa Valley doesn't know the first thing about making bourbon. He killed my yeast culture on t

company... my family's name will be ruined!

," I said. "Not a 'me' problem. W

id this on purpose!

cade, I felt no anger, no pain, just a profound and

come next. If she couldn't get me to fi