Chapter 5 - VANESSA STARTS TALKING
Vanessa wanted a lawyer.
That was the first intelligent decision she made all day.
The second was deciding she no longer trusted Preston.
They had been moved into separate conference rooms.
Vanessa sat across from hospital counsel with her white coat folded over the chair.
Without Preston beside her, she looked younger.
And frightened.
“I didn’t know about any trust.”
Margaret said nothing.
“I didn’t.”
“You received twenty-five thousand dollars from Preston.”
“That was a gift.”
“The transfer says consulting.”
Vanessa looked away.
“What were you consulting on?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why disguise the payment?”
“I didn’t disguise anything.”
“Preston did?”
Vanessa hesitated.
That hesitation mattered.
Margaret leaned forward.
“Ms. Cross, Preston is already claiming you acted independently.”
Vanessa’s head snapped up.
“He said that?”
Margaret did not answer.
She didn’t need to.
Vanessa’s anger did the rest.
“He told me Emily was manipulating him.”
Margaret remained still.
“He said she was using the baby to control him.”
“What else?”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“He said the marriage was basically over.”
“What else?”
“He said after the baby came, everything would change.”
Margaret’s eyes sharpened.
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
“Try.”
Vanessa looked toward the glass wall.
“He said Emily had money she didn’t deserve.”
Margaret said nothing.
“And?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“He said once the child was born, he’d finally have leverage.”
Across the hall, Raymond listened through the authorized conference feed with Emily’s attorney.
Emily was not there.
Raymond refused to let her sit through it while being monitored.
But he heard every word.
Vanessa continued.
“I thought he meant custody.”
Margaret asked,
“Did Preston ever ask you to harm Emily?”
“No.”
“Did he tell you to confront her today?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“No.”
Margaret waited.
Vanessa exhaled.
“He told me she had an appointment.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
“How did he know?”
“He said he had access.”
“Did he ask you to be here?”
Vanessa looked down.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He wanted her to see us together.”
Margaret’s expression hardened.
“Why?”
“He said she needed a push.”
The words hung in the room.
Vanessa immediately corrected herself.
“Not physically.”
Margaret leaned forward.
“Explain.”
“He wanted her angry.”
“Why?”
“So she would leave.”
“Leave where?”
“The marriage.”
Margaret studied her.
“And you attacked her.”
Vanessa looked defensive.
“She insulted me.”
“The video does not show that.”
“She looked at me like I was trash.”
Margaret stared at her.
“That was enough?”
Vanessa’s confidence collapsed.
“No.”
For the first time, she sounded ashamed.
“No, it wasn’t.”
Meanwhile, Preston was in the next conference room calling his father.
“Dad, Raymond has lost his mind.”
Arthur Whitmore was silent.
“Dad?”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“I just received a notice from Saint Claire Capital.”
Preston froze.
“What notice?”
“They’re reviewing our credit agreements.”
Preston stood.
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
Arthur’s voice became quieter.
“It’s catastrophic.”
Preston stared through the glass.
His father continued.
“If Raymond calls the Whitmore development loans, we have ninety days before half the company is insolvent.”
Preston’s face went white.
May you like
And then Arthur asked the question Preston had been avoiding.
“What did you do to Emily?”
