Chapter 17 - Floor Twenty-Seven
I did not go alone.
But Vivian never saw the police.
Officer Brooks put me in a plain coat, hid a microphone beneath the collar, and sent officers through the loading entrance while I walked through Meridian’s front doors.
The lobby was nearly empty.
The elevator ride to twenty-seven felt endless.
When the doors opened, half the lights were off.
Maya sat in a conference room.
Unhurt.
Vivian stood beside the window.
Her navy wedding gown looked strangely formal against the office glass and dark computer screens.
“You came.”
“Let her go.”
Vivian nodded toward the door.
Maya ran to me.
I squeezed her hand.
“Elevator. Now.”
She left.
Vivian did not stop her.
That surprised me.
“You’re not holding her hostage,” I said.
“No.”
“You wanted me scared.”
“Yes.”
At least she was finally telling the truth.
“What do you want?”
“Access to the board portal.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“No.”
She looked toward the city.
“I built Whitmore Holdings from a regional property company into an international group while Richard smiled for photographs and his father called me ambitious like it was an insult.”
“That does not make Meridian yours.”
“No. But it taught me that ownership belongs to whoever has the nerve to secure it.”
I stepped closer.
“You drugged my champagne.”
“I intended to make you sleep for an hour.”
“You could have killed someone.”
Her face tightened.
“That was not the plan.”
“My father-in-law is in the hospital.”
“I know.”
“Your son could have drunk it.”
Her eyes flickered.
“That was Martin’s contingency, not mine.”
The microphone under my coat caught every word.
I kept my voice steady.
“You approved Plan B.”
“I approved pressure. Not harm.”
“You created fake medical records.”
“I created leverage.”
“You forged my signature.”
“Martin handled documents.”
“And the pill?”
Vivian looked away.
There.
The first crack.
“Where did you get it?”
“Hart.”
“Did he know what you planned?”
“He knew enough.”
“Did Ethan know?”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
My throat tightened.
“Did Ethan meet me because you arranged it?”
Vivian smiled without warmth.
“I arranged a dinner. I did not arrange love.”
That hurt in a strange way.
It was almost merciful.
Then she said, “But love made him weak.”
“No. Love made him stop obeying you.”
Her face hardened.
“Give me the password.”
“No.”
She reached into her silver clutch.
For one terrible second, I thought she had a weapon.
Instead she pulled out a small flash drive.
“Then look at this first.”
She slid it across the table.
“What is it?”
“Proof Richard planned to remove Ethan from the trust before you ever married him.”
I stared at the drive.
Vivian leaned closer.
“You think I am the only villain in this family because I was the one you caught.”
May you like
Then the elevator bell sounded behind me.
And Ethan stepped onto the floor.
