Chapter 3
I slept in my old room for three hours.
Or tried to.
The room looked almost exactly the same.
White walls.
Oak desk.
Bookshelves full of contracts, architecture texts, and the novels my mother used to hide between them so my father would not turn me entirely into a balance sheet.
My wedding photo was gone.
I noticed immediately.
My father had removed it.
Not destroyed it.
Removed it.
He had always known the difference.
At four-thirty, I woke to my phone vibrating.
Victor.
Twenty-six missed calls.
Eleven messages.
Liv, open the door.
Why is my keycard dead?
This isn’t funny.
You embarrassed me in front of Kendra.
Call me now.
Then his tone changed.
Where are you?
Olivia, stop acting crazy.
You’ll regret this.
The last message came at 4:19 a.m.
I know people too.
I stared at it until my stomach stopped twisting.
Then I forwarded everything to Russell.
His reply came fast.
Do not respond.
At six, Victor’s company phone died.
At six-oh-five, his corporate cards froze.
At six-ten, Kendra’s luxury hotel reservation was flagged because the card on file was linked to stolen Meridian funds.
At six-thirty, Victor arrived at Meridian BuildWorks carrying a coffee and the confidence of a man who had no idea the floor had vanished.
I watched from a conference room three floors above him.
Security footage filled the wall screen.
My father stood beside me.
Russell sat with the fraud counsel.
The audit committee waited on video.
Victor stepped into the lobby and scanned his badge.
Red light.
He tried again.
Red.
The receptionist looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Hayes, security needs you to wait.”
Victor laughed.
“I’m an executive director.”
The security guard approached.
“Sir, your access has been suspended.”
Victor’s face hardened.
“By who?”
The elevator behind him opened.
Russell walked out.
Victor froze.
He knew Russell.
Everyone in Chicago development knew Russell Kent.
My father’s blade in a tailored suit.
Russell stopped in front of him.
“Victor Hayes, effective immediately, you are suspended pending fraud investigation.”
Victor’s mouth opened.
Then closed.
“Fraud?”
Russell handed him a letter.
“Company property. Phone, laptop, access cards.”
Victor looked around.
People were watching now.
The same people who once praised his instincts.
“This is a mistake.”
Russell’s voice stayed flat.
“Yes. Yours.”
Victor looked toward the cameras.
For one strange second, I thought he might see me through them.
He didn’t.
He still did not know.
He shouted.
He threatened.
He demanded the CEO.
Russell waited.
May you like
Then said, “The CEO is unavailable.”
My father leaned close to the screen and said softly, “Not to everyone.”
