Chapter 3 - HER FIRST LIE
“All of it,” I said.
Victoria glanced at Leo in Teresa’s arms, then back at me. Her expression changed in an instant. The sharpness vanished. Her eyes filled.
“Julian, I can explain.”
“That would be new.”
She flinched. Behind her, a makeup artist emerged from the dressing room, took one look at us, and retreated.
Victoria came closer. “I was angry. Owen kept calling, and I said things I didn’t mean.”
“Did you mean the part about boarding school?”
“I would never send Leo away.”
Teresa’s face hardened.
Victoria looked at her. “You listened outside my door?”
“I heard you through it,” Teresa said.
“You’ve never liked me.”
“Victoria,” I said, “leave her alone.”
She turned back to me, lowering her voice. “We can talk privately. People are waiting downstairs.”
“They can wait.”
Her eyes flashed. “You’re going to humiliate me in front of everyone because of one phone call?”
“Who submitted the wire to North Quay Holdings?”
For the first time, she had no answer ready.
Then she said, “What wire?”
“Three million dollars. My home computer. My approval.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
My phone buzzed again. Marcus had sent a screenshot of the request. I held it up. Victoria looked at the amount and pressed her lips together.
“You think I did that?” she asked.
“I think your former business partner is on the other end of it.”
“He’s not my partner anymore.”
“Then call him. On speaker.”
She stared at me.
A door opened behind us. My mother, Elaine, stepped into the hall in a pale blue dress. She smiled at first, then saw my face.
“Julian?”
“Mom, take Teresa and Leo somewhere quiet.”
Victoria lifted her chin. “Elaine, he’s accusing me of stealing from him.”
My mother didn’t ask me to reconsider. She looked at Teresa, then at Leo.
“Come with me,” she said.
As they walked away, Victoria’s phone lit up. I saw the caller’s name before she turned the screen against her hip.
OWEN.
“Answer it,” I said.
She declined the call.
A second later, my own phone rang. It was David.
“Julian,” he said, “I just reviewed the agreement Victoria’s attorney sent over yesterday. There’s a page in the final version that wasn’t in the draft you approved.”
“What page?”
“One naming Victoria as temporary trustee for Leo if you become unable to act.”
I looked up at the woman standing in front of me.
May you like
She wasn’t watching my face anymore.
She was watching my pocket, where I’d put my phone.
