Chapter 3 - SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS
Vanessa moved toward the staircase.
Daniel blocked her path.
“Excuse me.”
“You can't keep me here.”
“No one is keeping you here.”
He glanced toward the front door.
“You're free to leave.”
She hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
Adrian ended the call.
“Seven million dollars.”
His voice was low.
Dangerously low.
Vanessa turned.
“What?”
“Seven million dollars disappeared from the expansion account.”
“I don't know anything about that.”
“The transfers went to Cole Advisory Group.”
Her face went blank.
I knew that name.
So did Daniel.
I saw it in his eyes.
Adrian took a step toward Vanessa.
“That's your company.”
“My consulting company.”
“You told me it was inactive.”
“It is.”
“Apparently not.”
She glanced at me.
Then pointed.
“She did this.”
For one stunned second, nobody spoke.
Then I laughed.
“You think I transferred seven million dollars to your company?”
“You've been planning this!”
“Vanessa,” Adrian said.
“She admitted her father controls the lenders. What if she's framing us?”
“Us?”
He turned sharply.
“You said us.”
Vanessa realized her mistake.
“I meant—”
“Did you take my money?”
“No.”
“Did you?”
“No!”
Adrian picked up his phone.
“I’m calling Marcus.”
Vanessa's expression changed again.
Marcus Hale was Adrian's CFO and oldest friend.
The man who had helped him build Vale Meridian from a six-person development firm into a company valued at almost four hundred million dollars.
Adrian called.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
“That's strange,” I said.
He glared at me.
“Don't.”
“Marcus always answers.”
“How would you know?”
“Because unlike you, I paid attention.”
Daniel quietly stepped beside me.
“Your father wants you examined by a physician.”
“I know.”
“An ambulance is outside.”
“Give me another minute.”
Adrian heard him.
“You're leaving?”
I looked at him.
“You told me to.”
His anger slipped.
For just a second, I saw fear.
Not regret.
Fear.
There was a difference.
“Eleanor, we need to talk.”
“No.”
“Don't do this because you're angry.”
I stared at him.
“You hit me twenty times.”
His eyes flickered toward Daniel.
“Keep your voice down.”
That told me everything I still needed to know about him.
He wasn't ashamed of hurting me.
He was ashamed someone important had heard about it.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed her handbag.
“I’m going.”
Daniel stepped aside.
“Certainly.”
She hurried toward the door.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from my father.
STOP VANESSA. POLICE ARE COMING.
I looked up.
“Vanessa.”
She stopped.
“What?”
“Where's Marcus?”
Her shoulders stiffened.
Adrian frowned.
“What does Marcus have to do with her?”
I watched her carefully.
“Dad's investigators found something.”
“You're lying.”
“Maybe.”
I held up the phone.
“But you're suddenly afraid.”
Adrian walked toward her.
“Where is Marcus?”
“I don't know.”
“You met him Tuesday night.”
She stared at him.
“How do you know that?”
His face changed.
“I didn't.”
Vanessa realized what she had done.
I almost admired the trap Adrian had accidentally set.
Almost.
“You met him?” he whispered.
“It was business.”
“What business?”
“Adrian—”
“What business?”
Outside, blue lights suddenly flashed across the windows.
Police vehicles entered the driveway.
Vanessa stepped backward.
Then she dropped her handbag.
A phone fell out.
Not hers.
Adrian recognized it immediately.
His voice turned hollow.
“That's Marcus's phone.”
Vanessa stared at it.
Nobody moved.
Then the screen lit up.
May you like
One new message appeared.
DON'T LET ADRIAN FIND OUT THE BABY ISN'T HIS.
