Chapter 6 - Victor Dane's DaughterWe couldn't stay.
Mrs. Ellis showed us a hidden exit through the cellar.
We left through the woods and drove until dawn.
By sunrise, the city was waking up.
Our scandal was already everywhere.
HOLLOWAY HOUSE CEO ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL FRAUD
AFFAIR ERUPTS AT ANNIVERSARY GALA
BOARD INVESTIGATES MILLIONS IN MISSING FUNDS
Every headline used my photograph.
Brett had moved quickly.
Too quickly.
That meant he had prepared the story before the gala.
Margaret checked her phone.
“He filed a police complaint.”
“Against me?”
“Yes.”
My stomach dropped.
“What's the accusation?”
“Embezzlement.”
Of course.
Then another message came.
The board had scheduled an emergency meeting.
Three hours.
I knew exactly what Brett wanted.
He wanted me removed before the evidence could be authenticated.
We arrived at the corporate headquarters through the underground garage.
Sienna came with us.
Margaret looked at her.
“Do you know what you're doing?”
“Yes.”
“Because if you betray Claire…”
“I know.”
We entered the building.
People stared.
Some cried.
Some looked away.
Employees who had worked beside me for years suddenly didn't know whether they were supposed to believe the headlines.
Then Brett appeared.
Perfect suit.
Calm face.
No trace of the man who had run from his own son's evidence.
“Claire.”
I stopped.
“Brett.”
He looked at Sienna.
“You've made a terrible mistake.”
Sienna stepped beside me.
“No.”
She held up her passport.
“You did.”
Brett's face hardened.
“My father knows where you are.”
“I know.”
“He will destroy you.”
She looked at me.
“My father already did.”
Brett stepped toward us.
“You think this is about Claire?”
Sienna's eyes narrowed.
“It isn't?”
“No.”
He smiled.
“It’s about Victor.”
I said nothing.
Brett lowered his voice.
“He'll never let you reach the boardroom.”
Then security guards appeared.
Six of them.
Our head of security.
And four men I didn't recognize.
Margaret whispered, “They're Victor's.”
Brett held out his hand.
“Give me the files.”
“No.”
“Then you're making this worse.”
I looked at him.
“You walked into our anniversary gala with your mistress wearing my grandmother's brooch.”
His jaw tightened.
“And you think I'm the one making this worse?”
For the first time, something flickered in his eyes.
Shame?
Anger?
Possibly both.
Then the elevator doors opened.
Victor Dane stepped out.
Older.
Silver-haired.
Immaculate.
He looked exactly like the man in my grandmother's photograph.
He stared at me.
Then the brooch wasn't on Sierra anymore.
It was in my hand.
His eyes locked on it.
Everything about his expression changed.
“Where did you get that?”
I smiled.
“My grandmother gave it to me.”
Victor looked at Sienna.
“You.”
She stepped forward.
“Dad.”
He inhaled sharply.
“You betrayed me.”
“You betrayed everyone.”
Victor looked at Brett.
“I told you to keep her away from the board.”
Brett nodded.
“I tried.”
I realized something.
Victor wasn't pretending anymore.
He wasn't hiding.
He believed he had already won.
He turned to the security guards.
“Take her.”
Margaret stepped in front of me.
“You'll have to go through me.”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
He pointed at Sienna.
“I said take her.”
The guards moved.
Sienna didn't resist.
She walked directly toward them.
Then she stopped.
“Dad?”
Victor stared.
“You forgot something.”
She removed a tiny recorder from her pocket.
“I recorded everything.”
Victor's face changed.
Sienna pressed play.
His own voice filled the lobby.
“Claire goes to prison.”
Then:
“After that, Brett takes control.”
Then:
“By the time anyone sees the accounts, the company will already belong to us.”
Employees nearby began filming.
Victor lunged.
Too late.
Sienna stepped back.
“That's not even the worst one.”
Victor froze.
She smiled.
“I have the recording where you talk about the fire.”
My heart stopped.
“What fire?”
Victor looked at her.
“Sienna.”
“What fire?”
Sienna's eyes filled.
“The warehouse.”
“What happened?”
She whispered:
“Five years ago, my father ordered it burned.”
I looked at Victor.
“Why?”
He said nothing.
Sienna answered for him.
“Because your grandmother kept records there.”
May you like
The entire lobby went silent.
“And she wasn't supposed to survive.”
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