Chapter 3
The moment I stepped outside, camera lights hit me.
“Emily!”
“Ms. Bennett!”
“Did Richard Caldwell know who you were?”
“Was this a setup?”
I froze.
Less than fifteen minutes ago, most of these people hadn’t known my name.
Now they knew everything.
Or thought they did.
Claire stood near the curb, surrounded by reporters.
Her face looked empty.
I pushed through them.
“Give her some room.”
A microphone appeared inches from my mouth.
“Are you confirming you’re Emily Bennett, daughter of billionaire investor Daniel Bennett?”
I ignored it.
Claire looked at me.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Her eyes filled.
“For him.”
“You didn’t hit me.”
She looked toward the police cars.
“You don’t understand.”
Maybe I didn’t.
But I wanted to.
My father came outside behind me with Margaret.
Security from one of the SUVs formed a path.
“Claire,” I said, “do you have somewhere safe to go tonight?”
Her eyes moved to my father.
Then back to me.
“Yes.”
It was too quick.
I knew fear when I heard it.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“I have a daughter at home.”
“How old?”
“Sixteen.”
That changed everything.
“Does Richard have access to her?”
Claire’s face tightened.
“He’s her father.”
I lowered my voice.
“Does that make her safe?”
Claire didn’t answer.
My father heard.
He stepped closer.
“We can arrange a hotel.”
Claire shook her head immediately.
“No. He’ll know.”
“How?”
She swallowed.
“He always knows.”
A black sedan pulled up.
Claire stared at it.
Her whole body stiffened.
A man in a gray coat stepped out.
I recognized him from photos in the loan file.
Martin Hale.
Richard’s personal attorney.
He walked directly toward us.
“Mrs. Caldwell.”
Claire backed away.
Martin gave me a polite smile.
“Ms. Bennett. Unfortunate evening.”
“That’s one way to describe assault.”
His smile didn’t change.
“I’m here to take Mrs. Caldwell home.”
Claire whispered, “I can go myself.”
Martin looked at her.
“Richard asked me to make sure you and Sophie were taken care of.”
The color left Claire’s face.
Richard was in police custody.
And he was already sending messages through other people.
I stepped between them.
“She said she can go herself.”
Martin’s eyes moved over me.
“This isn’t your family matter.”
I thought about the handprint still burning on my face.
“It became my matter when Richard made it one.”
Martin’s expression hardened.
My father came to my side.
“That’s enough.”
Martin changed instantly.
“Mr. Bennett.”
“Leave.”
“Daniel, surely we can discuss—”
“Not tonight.”
Martin looked at Claire.
“Your husband expects you home.”
That sentence scared me more than any threat Richard had made.
Claire’s lips trembled.
Then something changed.
She straightened.
“No.”
Martin blinked.
“No?”
“I’m not going home.”
He stared at her.
“Claire.”
“I said no.”
For the first time, I saw something other than fear in her.
It was small.
But it was there.
Anger.
Martin leaned closer.
“Think carefully.”
Margaret stepped forward.
“You should too.”
He looked at her.
“If Mrs. Caldwell wants independent counsel, I can provide several referrals tonight. Until then, stop speaking to her as though you represent her.”
Martin’s jaw tightened.
He walked back toward the sedan.
Before getting inside, he looked at me.
“This situation is getting more complicated than it needs to be.”
I stared back.
“No. It’s finally becoming simple.”
He left.
Claire nearly collapsed.
I caught her arm.
“My daughter.”
“We’ll get her.”
My father arranged for one of our drivers to take us.
He insisted on coming.
So did Margaret.
Claire gave us an address in Lincoln Park.
During the drive, she barely spoke.
I sat beside her.
My phone kept vibrating.
The video had passed two million views.
My face was everywhere.
People were calling me a spoiled heiress.
Others were calling me a hero.
Some said Richard deserved prison.
Others claimed the video had been staged.
I turned my phone off.
Claire noticed.
“You should leave this alone.”
I looked at her.
“Do you want me to?”
She stared through the window.
“No.”
That was enough.
When we reached her house, the front gate was open.
Claire whispered, “That’s wrong.”
My father immediately told the driver to stay put.
“What’s wrong?”
“I closed it when we left.”
Margaret called 911.
Claire was already opening the door.
“My daughter is inside.”
I grabbed her.
“Wait.”
“Sophie!”
She jumped out before anyone could stop her.
I followed.
My father cursed behind us.
The front door was unlocked.
Claire pushed inside.
“Sophie!”
No answer.
The living room lights were on.
A lamp lay broken near the stairs.
Claire started crying.
“No. No, no, no.”
We ran upstairs.
“Sophie!”
A bedroom door opened.
A teenage girl stepped into the hallway holding a baseball bat.
“Mom?”
Claire screamed.
She ran to her.
Sophie dropped the bat and collapsed into her arms.
I stopped halfway up the stairs.
Relief hit me so hard my knees weakened.
Claire held her daughter’s face.
“Are you okay?”
Sophie nodded.
“Why?”
“What happened downstairs?”
Sophie looked confused.
“Dad came home.”
My stomach dropped.
Claire froze.
“When?”
“Like twenty minutes ago.”
“But he was arrested.”
“He wasn’t alone.”
Sophie looked toward us.
“He came with Uncle Victor.”
My father became completely still.
“What did you say?”
Sophie recognized him.
Her eyes widened.
“Mr. Bennett?”
My father climbed the stairs.
“Who came here with your father?”
“Victor Shaw.”
Nobody spoke.
Victor Shaw wasn’t Richard’s brother.
He wasn’t even related to the Caldwells.
He was vice chairman of Bennett Capital.
He had ridden to the restaurant in one of those three SUVs.
He had stood beside my father.
He had looked at my bleeding mouth.
And he had said nothing.
My father’s voice was barely audible.
“What did they do?”
Sophie clutched her mother’s hand.
“They were looking for something in Dad’s office.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did they find it?”
She shook her head.
“They were arguing. Uncle Victor said Dad had ruined everything.”
My father looked at Margaret.
She looked just as shocked.
Then Sophie said the sentence that changed the entire night.
“Dad told him not to worry.”
May you like
She swallowed.
“He said the Bennetts would never let this go to court because if they did, everyone would find out what your company helped him hide.”
