The woman who had once boasted about being a regional vice president was now serving a prison sentence for stealing from her employer.
My father pleaded guilty to a lesser offense involving the concealment of criminal proceeds.
He received five years of strict federal probation.
He was also permanently prohibited from holding corporate board positions.
For a man who had measured his worth through influence, reputation, and powerful professional connections, the restriction was devastating.
My mother avoided formal criminal charges through a plea arrangement.
But her social standing collapsed.
The country clubs she had once considered essential to her identity no longer welcomed her.
Friends who had eagerly attended her parties stopped returning her calls.
People who had admired her jewelry and lake house disappeared when the money was gone.
She became isolated and bitter.
Nathan acted quickly after the wedding.
Three days after the disastrous celebration, he filed for an expedited annulment based on fraud.
