Chapter 5 - THE FILE THAT COULD DESTROY DAMIAN
The flash drive was smaller than Claire expected.
Almost meaningless.
A tiny piece of plastic.
But Damian looked at it like it was a weapon pointed directly at his heart.
Because it was.
Claire held it tightly.
“What’s inside?”
Her mother looked at Damian.
“Everything.”
The room became silent.
Damian laughed.
A cold, empty laugh.
“You really think that device proves anything?”
Claire looked at him.
“You’re scared.”
“No.”
“You are.”
She stepped closer.
“For the first time tonight, you don’t know what happens next.”
Damian’s eyes narrowed.
“You still don’t understand.”
He looked around the room.
“People like me don’t lose because of evidence.”
He pointed at the guests.
“They lose because people stop believing them.”
Claire smiled.
“That’s why you’re scared.”
She looked at the crowd.
“Because everyone is watching.”
Phones were still recording.
News cameras had arrived outside.
The story was already spreading.
Damian’s perfect image was collapsing.
But then he said something that made Claire freeze.
“You think these people came here because they respected me?”
He smiled.
“They came because they needed me.”
The guests looked uncomfortable.
Damian continued.
“Every person in this room has used my services.”
He looked at the wealthy families.
“Their secrets.”
“Their lawsuits.”
“Their problems.”
He smiled.
“They need me more than they hate me.”
For a moment, Claire said nothing.
Because she realized something.
Damian wasn’t just a lawyer.
He had built an empire of fear.
Her mother touched her arm.
“Claire.”
She looked down.
Her mother whispered:
“You need to leave.”
Claire frowned.
“What?”
“Now.”
“Why?”
Her mother looked toward Damian.
“Because he never planned to win legally.”
Before Claire could ask, the lights went out.
The ballroom fell into darkness.
People screamed.
Glass shattered.
Someone pushed through the crowd.
Claire grabbed her mother’s hand.
“Stay with me!”
A few seconds later, emergency lights turned on.
Everyone looked around.
The flash drive was gone.
Claire froze.
“No…”
She searched the floor.
Nothing.
Damian stood near the entrance.
Smiling.
“You really thought I would let you keep that?”
Claire looked at him.
“Who took it?”
Damian adjusted his jacket.
“You’re asking the wrong question.”
“What does that mean?”
He walked closer.
“The person who stole it…”
He smiled.
“Was someone who came here to help you.”
Claire felt cold.
Someone she trusted.
Someone on her side.
She looked around the room.
Thomas Reed.
Her mother.
The guests.
The staff.
Who?
Damian leaned closer.
“You came here thinking I was your enemy.”
He whispered.
“But you never asked yourself who sent you here.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
Damian smiled.
“Find out who really wanted you to discover the inheritance.”
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes.”
He listened.
His smile grew.
“Perfect.”
Claire watched his face.
“What happened?”
Damian looked at her.
“The person who stole the drive just sent me a message.”
Claire’s heart raced.
“What message?”
Damian turned his phone toward her.
May you like
One sentence appeared on the screen.
“Claire Carter cannot be allowed to leave this building alive.”
