Chương 5
The board asked her to join for fifteen minutes.
There were seven faces on the screen. Daniel sat at the end of the conference table, tie loosened. The board chair, Josephine Vale, was a former bank executive with white hair cut to her jaw. Adrian’s window remained black.
“Mrs. Bennett,” Josephine said, “we need direct answers.”
“I will answer what I can.”
“Did Bennett Development funds pay expenses associated with the residence titled to your entity?”
“I have been shown records suggesting that may have occurred.”
“Did you authorize those payments?”
“No.”
“Did you know about them?”
“Not before last night.”
A board member named Randall Pierce frowned. “The company hosted events at the mansion.”
“Some events,” Claire said.
“Those events benefited the company.”
“Some may have.”
“Then reimbursements would not necessarily be improper.”
“No,” Claire said. “Not necessarily.”
Daniel looked down at his notes.
Josephine asked, “Why did you revoke Mr. Bennett’s account access last night?”
“Because the property authorization agreement permitted revocation upon formal separation, misuse of account authority, or conduct creating a security risk.”
“Which condition applied?”
“My husband publicly expelled me from the property and threw my belongings onto the floor.”
Randall shifted in his chair. “That is personal conduct.”
“It occurred inside a property I own while he claimed ownership and attempted to remove me.”
“Were you in physical danger?”
“No.”
“Then security risk may be an overstatement.”
Claire looked at him. “You were at the party.”
His face changed.
Josephine turned. “You witnessed the incident?”
Randall cleared his throat. “Part of it.”
“Did Mr. Bennett claim to own the property?”
“I do not recall his exact wording.”
Daniel spoke for the first time. “The video contains his exact wording.”
Randall’s jaw tightened.
Josephine returned her attention to Claire. “We are engaging independent counsel and forensic accountants. You will preserve all property records.”
“I already have.”
“Good. Until the review is complete, we ask that you make no public statement connecting the company to the mansion.”
“I have made no public statement at all.”
“Maintain that.”
The meeting ended after twelve minutes.
Maya closed the laptop.
“Randall invested in Adrian’s Charleston project,” she said.
“How do you know?”
“He discussed it loudly at the anniversary dinner.”
“I had forgotten.”
“You were seated beside a senator who explained municipal bonds to you for forty minutes.”
“He thought I was fascinated.”
“You kept asking questions.”
“I was trying to make him stop.”
Maya allowed herself a brief smile, then glanced at her phone.
“What?”
“Vanessa is downstairs.”
Claire looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn’s expression suggested that plans had failed again.
Vanessa entered the conference room wearing black trousers, a cream sweater, and oversized sunglasses despite the rain. Without the gold dress and chandelier light, she appeared younger than twenty-seven and more tired. She carried a large tote against her chest.
Evelyn introduced herself and made clear that she represented Claire alone.
Vanessa removed the sunglasses. Her eyes were swollen but dry.
“I’m not here to ask for anything,” she said.
“That would distinguish you from most of my morning,” Claire replied.
Vanessa looked at her, uncertain whether the remark was hostile.
Claire gestured toward the chair opposite her.
Vanessa sat but kept the tote in her lap.
“I need to say something before Adrian decides what happened,” she began. “He told me you were separating.”
“We were not.”
“I know that now.”
“You knew it last night.”
Vanessa’s mouth tightened. “Last night I knew he was going to ask you to leave.”
“You stood beside his mother while he did it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vanessa looked down at the tote’s brass clasp. “Because I thought the house was his. Because he said you had refused to move out. Because Margaret said you were holding the family hostage with money.”
Claire felt Evelyn watching her.
“What did Adrian promise you?” Claire asked.
Vanessa’s face flushed. “Nothing.”
“Then why were you wearing his cuff link around your neck?”
Vanessa touched the base of her throat, though the chain was gone.
“He said it was a joke.”
“It was engraved.”
“I didn’t notice.”
Claire waited.
Vanessa looked away first.
“He said after the separation became public, we wouldn’t have to hide,” she said.
The words did not surprise Claire. The absence of surprise hurt more than the admission.
“How long?” Claire asked.
“Eight months.”
Evelyn slid a box of tissues across the table, but Vanessa did not take one.
“Did you know he planned to humiliate Mrs. Bennett publicly?” Evelyn asked.
“He said he needed witnesses.”
“For what?”
“That she left voluntarily.”
Claire stared at her.
Vanessa continued quickly. “He said if you walked out in front of people, you couldn’t later claim he forced you from the house.”
“He ordered me to pick up my bag.”
“I know.”
“He took it from my hand.”
“I know.”
“And you thought that would look voluntary?”
Vanessa flinched. “I didn’t know he would do that part.”
Claire stood and walked to the window. Below them, umbrellas moved along the sidewalk.
Eight months.
During those months, Adrian had taken her to Lisbon for their anniversary, given her emerald earrings at breakfast, and complained that she spent too much time working. He had asked whether she still wanted children.
She had answered carefully because there had been years when the question could ruin a day.
Behind her, Vanessa said, “There’s more.”
Claire turned.
Vanessa opened the tote and removed a tablet.
“Adrian left this at my apartment last week. He uses it for travel. He told me to keep it charged.”
Evelyn did not touch it. “Is it his?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know the passcode?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He gave it to me.”
“Have you accessed it?”
Vanessa hesitated. “Last night.”
Claire returned to the table.
“What did you find?” Evelyn asked.
“Messages with Randall Pierce. Documents. Something about refinancing the house.”
May you like
Claire felt the room narrow.
“He planned to use the mansion as collateral,” Vanessa said. “Randall kept asking when the title problem would be fixed. Adrian said after last night, you would sign whatever he put in front of you.”
