Chapter 7 - AN INVITATION FROM RICHARD
The next morning, Richard Whitmore asked Maya to come to his office.
He sat behind a wide desk with a view of the river. Maya remained standing until he gestured toward a chair.
“I’m told you’ve had some trouble with Claire,” he said.
“She doesn’t like me.”
Richard rubbed his forehead. “My daughter can be difficult.”
“That’s one word for it.”
To Maya’s surprise, he almost smiled. Then his expression turned serious.
“I knew your grandfather.”
“I know.”
“He was a brilliant man.”
“Did you read his letter?”
Richard looked toward the window.
Maya waited.
“I received a lot of letters after acquisitions,” he said.
“This one asked you to check whether your company was paying him what it owed.”
Richard’s gaze returned to her. “You applied here because of Samuel.”
“Yes.”
“You could have requested a meeting.”
“Would you have given me one?”
He didn’t answer.
For a moment, Maya saw something human in his face: regret, perhaps, or fear. Then Richard placed both hands on the desk.
“If there’s a problem with the old agreement, let our legal team handle it.”
“Your legal team threatened him.”
“That was twelve years ago.”
“He’s still living with the consequences.”
Richard stood. “I’ll look into it.”
“That’s what you told him.”
The words landed hard. Richard pressed a button on his desk and asked his assistant to show Maya out.
Outside his office, Claire waited by the elevator.
“What did you say to him?” she demanded.
“The truth.”
Claire moved closer. “You think you can use some family story to take what my father built?”
“I think your father should check what other people did under his name.”
Claire laughed, but it sounded forced. “Martin was right about you.”
Maya turned back. “What did Martin say?”
The elevator doors opened.
Claire stepped inside and smiled. “Ask him yourself.”
That evening, Richard called Martin into his office. Maya saw them through the glass wall. At first Richard seemed angry. Then Martin handed him a folder.
May you like
Richard read one page.
By the time he looked up, his hands were shaking.
