Chapter 10: Page Seventeen
Desmond stood in the doorway like he still belonged there.
Like he was still the man who walked into our house every evening, loosened his tie, kissed my forehead and asked how my day had been.
Like he wasn't the same man who had spent years building a trap around my life.
My security team moved immediately.
Desmond lifted both hands.
"I'm not here to fight.""
I almost laughed.
"That's new.""
His eyes moved toward the recorder on the table.
"You heard it.""
Rachel looked terrified.
"Desmond—"
"Stay out of this.""
The old confidence was back.
But it was different now.
Before, his confidence came from believing nobody could touch him.
Now it came from having nothing left to lose.
I stepped closer.
"You paid my father?""
Desmond's jaw tightened.
"Not the way you think.""
"Then explain.""
He looked around the room.
"The first thing you need to understand is that your father knew I was dangerous.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
"No.""
He swallowed.
"But it explains everything.""
I waited.
For once, Desmond had to earn my attention.
He noticed.
And it bothered him.
"When I met your father, I was twenty-five. I was talented, ambitious and desperate.""
"Desperate people don't steal millions.""
"Your father knew what I was capable of.""
"Apparently better than I did.""
A shadow crossed his face.
"He offered me a deal.""
Rachel whispered, "He's lying.""
Desmond looked at her.
"You weren't there.""
"I was closer than you think.""
I turned back to him.
"What deal?""
Desmond walked toward the table but stopped when security stepped forward.
He smiled bitterly.
"Your father wanted someone inside Corvina.""
"To spy?""
"To protect it.""
The room went quiet.
"From who?""
Desmond looked at me.
"From Elias Voss.""
I looked toward the hallway where Voss was waiting.
"No.""
"Yes.""
"You've spent the entire night blaming everyone else.""
"Because everyone else deserves some blame.""
His honesty surprised me.
A little.
"Your father discovered money disappearing from Corvina before the company even went public. He suspected Voss.""
Rachel shook her head.
"You forged evidence.""
Desmond looked at her.
"I followed orders.""
"Whose?""
"Your father's.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
Desmond reached into his coat.
Security moved again.
He slowly removed a small envelope.
"I kept this for eight years.""
He placed it on the table.
Rachel stared.
"What is it?""
"Something your father wrote.""
I didn't touch it.
"Why now?""
"Because you were never supposed to become majority owner.""
There it was.
The truth beneath everything.
Desmond hadn't expected me to stand on that stage.
He hadn't expected me to hold power.
He hadn't expected me to become impossible to control.
"So your plan was what?""
His silence answered.
"You were going to divorce me.""
He looked away.
"Eventually.""
"After Corvina?""
"After securing the company.""
"And Isolde?""
A flicker of shame crossed his face.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
But I saw it.
"She was never the plan.""
Rachel laughed quietly.
"The mistress wasn't even important.""
"No.""
Desmond looked exhausted.
"She was a distraction.""
The worst part was how calmly he admitted it.
"You used her.""
"Yes.""
"You used me.""
He didn't answer.
Because he couldn't deny it.
I picked up the envelope.
Inside was a single page.
My father's handwriting.
The same handwriting from my childhood birthday cards.
Wren,
If you are reading this, then Desmond has failed at keeping control.
I stopped breathing.
Not if.
When.
The letter continued.
I know you will want to hate him. You have every reason.
But before you decide what happened, find the original incorporation agreement.
Do not trust the copies.
Do not trust the summaries.
The truth is on page seventeen.
I looked up.
"Where is it?""
Desmond's expression changed.
"I don't know.""
"Liar.""
"I destroyed what I could.""
Rachel whispered, "He didn't.""
Everyone turned.
She looked at me.
"He gave the original to someone else.""
"Who?""
She looked at Desmond.
He said nothing.
"Who?""
Rachel answered.
"Your mother.""
The room went silent.
My mother had died when I was twenty.
Before Corvina became what it was.
Before Desmond entered my life.
"Impossible.""
Desmond looked at me.
"Your mother knew everything.""
My hands went cold.
"My mother hated business.""
"That's what she wanted people to believe.""
I stared at him.
Every family memory suddenly felt like a locked door.
"Where is the agreement?""
Desmond stepped back.
"I don't know.""
"You came here for the recorder.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because if the agreement is found, everything changes.""
"Meaning?""
His eyes met mine.
"You don't own Corvina.""
I frowned.
"Of course I do.""
"No.""
His voice lowered.
"You own the shares.""
The words landed strangely.
"The company itself belongs to whoever controls the original agreement.""
I looked at Rachel.
Then at Desmond.
"That makes no sense.""
"It will.""
He moved toward the door.
"Find page seventeen before Voss does.""
Security blocked him.
"You're not leaving.""
Desmond looked at me.
"Then ask yourself one question.""
"What?""
"Why did your father leave you control of everything except Corvina?""
And then my phone rang.
It was my mother's old attorney.
A man who hadn't contacted me in eight years.
I answered.
May you like
His first words made my blood run cold.
"Wren, I found the original Corvina agreement.""
