“I need ten minutes,” she said.
“You’ve already taken considerably more than that from me.”
“Natalie, this is business.”
“You sleeping with my husband became business?”
Her jaw tightened.
“So you know.”
“I’m not stupid, Vanessa.”
“No. Which is why I’m surprised you’re making this difficult.”
I almost admired the arrogance.
“Come in.”
She walked into my living room and sat on the sofa as though she had been invited for coffee.
What she didn’t know was that Samuel had instructed me to record any unexpected conversation involving Grant, Sterling, or the expansion.
My phone was already recording from the kitchen counter.
Vanessa removed her sunglasses.
“I know about Mercer Atlantic.”
I kept my face blank.
“Congratulations.”
“I also know your father created the trust.”
My heartbeat changed.
“How?”
“I did what Grant never bothered doing. I researched you.”
“And what do you want?”
“Approve the expansion.”
I laughed.
“That’s why you came?”
“I want a guaranteed executive position in the new organization and an equity incentive once the restructuring is complete.”
“You want me to reward you for helping my husband commit fraud?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You should be careful using words like fraud.”
“Why?”
“Because Grant is preparing to file for divorce.”
“Good.”
“And custody.”
That stopped me.
Vanessa saw it.
She smiled.
“He’s going to argue that Lily needs stability.”
“My daughter has stability.”
“You lost your job. You have enormous debt. There are questions regarding medication discrepancies at Sterling. And several employees are prepared to say you’ve been behaving irrationally.”
My stomach turned cold.
“You manufactured this.”
“Can you prove it?”
I looked at her.
Really looked at her.
Grant had underestimated me.
Vanessa hadn’t.
That made her more dangerous.
“What happens if I approve the expansion?”
“Grant gives you a generous divorce settlement. Joint custody. No public scandal. You move on.”
“And you?”
“I move up.”
“And if I refuse?”
Vanessa stood.
“Then by the time you prove the truth, you may have already lost your reputation, your nursing license, and temporary custody of your daughter.”
I walked to the front door and opened it.
“No.”
She stared at me.
“Think about Lily.”
“I am.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“No, Vanessa. My mistake was spending years believing people become decent if you give them enough opportunities to be decent.”
She stepped outside.
I leaned closer.
“Tell Grant I’m not signing anything.”
For the first time, Vanessa’s confidence flickered.
Only for a second.
Then she walked away.
I closed the door.
Stopped the recording.
And called Samuel.
Grant filed for divorce the following morning.
