Chapter 4 - WHAT DAMIAN NEVER SAID
“Get security,” Damian said.
Vanessa scoffed. “For me?”
“For the doors. Nobody leaves.”
His security chief, Marcus Reed, arrived, took one look at the scattered pages, and stopped asking questions.
“Lock down the office wing,” Damian ordered. “Preserve every camera feed for the last year. Call the bank’s fraud team and my attorney.”
Vanessa stared at him. “You’re treating me like a criminal.”
“I’m treating four-point-eight million unexplained dollars like four-point-eight million unexplained dollars.”
Elena tried to leave with Mia.
Damian stopped her gently. “Elena.”
She turned.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For not seeing any of this sooner.”
She looked toward Vanessa. “You weren’t supposed to. People like her make sure the cruelty happens where the important people can’t see it.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly. “People like me?”
Elena finally looked her dead in the eye. “Yes. People who think kindness is what you perform when someone powerful is watching.”
The room went still.
Mia whispered, “Mama, can we go home?”
That broke Damian more than anything else.
Elena carried her back to the staff cottage. Twenty minutes later, there was a knock.
Damian stood outside holding a small white bakery box.
“I know this doesn’t fix it,” he said.
Mia peeked from behind Elena’s leg.
“What is it?”
“A cake.”
“For Mama?”
“For both of you.”
Mia considered this. “Is it the most expensive?”
Damian crouched. “No. The bakery said the chocolate one tastes better.”
Mia nodded seriously. “Good choice.”
Elena laughed despite herself, then covered her mouth. Damian smiled, but tension returned almost immediately.
“There’s something Vanessa said that I need to explain.”
“The will?”
“Yes.”
Elena stiffened. “Mr. Cross, whatever you did, undo it. I don’t want money tied to Mia.”
“It isn’t what you think.”
“Then what is it?”
Damian looked through the cottage window at Mia, who was already trying to peel the tape from the cake box.
“Last year, I created an education trust for the children of long-term estate employees. Mia is one of six who qualify. I kept it quiet because I didn’t want anyone feeling they owed me.”
“And your will?”
“My estate funds that trust if I die.”
Elena’s shoulders loosened slightly.
Then Damian’s phone rang.
Marcus.
Damian answered. “Tell me.”
His face drained of color.
“What do you mean deleted?”
Elena’s stomach dropped.
Damian listened for ten seconds, then looked directly at her.
“The security footage outside Vanessa’s room was erased thirty minutes ago.”
Elena whispered, “By who?”
May you like
Damian ended the call.
“According to the system log—by your employee code.”
