Calm.
Friendly.
Exactly the sort of voice people trust before they understand why they shouldn’t.
“You came.”
She answered.
“You said it was important.”
Footsteps.
Glass clinking.
Another voice.
Male.
Unknown.
Adrian said, “Let me introduce Marcus Vale.”
He whispered.
“North Coast managing director.”
That confirmed it.
Victoria said, “I thought this was about repairing the Bellamy deal.”
Adrian laughed.
“Bellamy is beyond repair.”
I clenched my jaw.
Marcus spoke.
“That depends who owns it.”
I held up one finger.
Listen.
Victoria asked, “What does that mean?”
Adrian answered.
“Simone Carter is emotional.”
I almost smiled.
“She canceled a transaction because someone offended her.”
Victoria played her role.
“She embarrassed me.”
“Exactly.”
He sounded pleased.
“Which helps us.”
“How?”
“If Whitmore walks away, North Coast steps in.”
Marcus said, “At a rational price.”
Victoria asked, “And my father?”
Then Adrian.
“Your father becomes irrelevant.”
Richard’s face changed.
His own former employee had just said the quiet part.
Victoria’s voice shook slightly.
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t need to.”
“I think I do.”
Adrian sighed.
“Richard’s reputation is damaged. Bellamy is under pressure. Banks hate uncertainty.”
Marcus added, “Markets reward stability.”
“That’s rehearsed,” I whispered.
Victoria asked, “Did you leak those documents?”
Adrian paused.
“Which documents?”
“The ones about my father.”
“You’re asking dangerous questions.”
“I deserve answers.”
He laughed softly.
“You sound like him.”
He was getting annoyed.
Annoyed people talked.
Victoria continued.
“You told me he was cutting me out.”
“He was.”
“He says he planned to give me a board seat.”
Adrian’s voice changed.
“Did you tell him about me?”
Richard grabbed the edge of the table.
Victoria answered quickly.
“Then why are you repeating his story?”
“Because today went badly.”
“That isn’t my problem.”
“You made it my problem.”
Marcus interrupted.
“Adrian.”
Adrian sounded sharper.
“She needs to understand something.”
Closer.
I imagined him leaning toward her.
“You wanted influence.”
Victoria stayed silent.
“You wanted your father to stop treating you like a decorative daughter.”
Richard flinched.
Adrian continued.
“I gave you a path.”
“You gave me fake information.”
“Did I?”
“Prove it.”
Victoria didn’t answer.
“You can’t.”
Then Marcus said, “We should end this.”
“No,” Victoria replied.
My eyes widened.
She was pushing.
“You stole Bellamy data.”
Richard whispered, “Victoria…”
Adrian’s voice became very calm.
“You should be careful.”
“Did you?”
“Data changes hands in every transaction.”
“Not illegally.”
“Who taught you that word?”
“Simone Carter.”
I shut my eyes.
Too much.
Adrian said nothing for several seconds.
Then:
“You saw her again.”
Victoria’s breathing changed.
Richard reached for his phone.
“Are you recording this?”
Everything froze.
I looked at the technical specialist beside us.
He shook his head.
Signal intact.
Nervously.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Adrian said, “Give me your phone.”
“I said no.”
A chair scraped.
Richard moved toward the door.
I grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
His eyes burned.
Adrian spoke.
Another voice appeared.
The man from the boutique.
“Check her.”
Richard tore his arm away.
This time I agreed.
I signaled security.
Our team moved upstairs.
In Victoria’s feed, she shouted.
“Don’t touch me.”
Then something crashed.
Richard ran.