“You decided who I was before I finished introducing myself.”
His eyes dropped.
“And I let you.”
That was the only part that belonged to me.
Eight months of little humiliations I had rationalized because Liam could be charming when his parents weren’t around.
Eight months of Victoria correcting my pronunciation of French words I pronounced correctly.
Eight months of Richard leaving cash beside my dinner plate as a joke.
Eight months of Liam whispering afterward, They’re just old-fashioned.
I could forgive cowardice once.
I couldn’t build a life beside it.
I opened Daniel’s folder.
“Where?”
He pointed to the signature tabs.
Victoria grabbed my wrist.
Her nails dug into my skin.
“Don’t.”
The word was barely audible.
I looked down at her hand.
She released me.
And for the first time since I’d met her, Victoria Ashford looked afraid.
Not embarrassed.
Not offended.
Afraid.
“You don’t understand,” she whispered.
Richard turned sharply. “Victoria.”
She ignored him.
“If you sign that, you’ll destroy Liam.”
I looked at him.
He had gone pale.
“Why Liam?”
Richard’s voice cracked like a whip.
“Enough.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
Something passed across his face.
He reached into his case.
“Lena.”
His tone had changed.
“What?”
“There was an additional document delivered to our compliance team twenty minutes ago.”
Richard moved.
Fast.
He lunged for the case.
The officers caught him before he reached Daniel.
Guests screamed as Richard twisted between them.
“Get off me!”
Daniel stepped backward.
I stared at Richard.
“What document?”
“Lena, don’t,” Liam said.
I turned.
He was shaking.
That frightened me more than Richard’s outburst.
“What document?”
Daniel pulled out a sealed evidence envelope.
“An amended personal guarantee.”
Liam closed his eyes.
My stomach tightened.
“Whose?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Liam’s.”
The deck seemed to tilt beneath me.
Liam sat down heavily on the nearest bench.
Victoria covered her mouth.
Richard stopped fighting.
