Chapter 6 - THE MISTRESS WHO WASN’T WHAT SHE SEEMED
Mia called me that night.
Not Julian.
Me.
“Do not tell him I called.”
“I’m beginning to notice people enjoy saying that.”
She ignored the sarcasm.
“I have the drive.”
“Where are you?”
“Safe.”
“With Thomas?”
“No.”
“Then why did you take it?”
“Because Julian was going to trade it.”
“For what?”
“His job.”
My stomach tightened.
“What do you mean?”
“After Evelyn suspended him, Thomas offered to make the investigation disappear if Julian returned the drive.”
I looked across the room at Julian.
He sat with Naomi.
He could not hear Mia.
“Did Julian agree?”
“Yes.”
Of course.
Even after everything.
“What’s on it?”
“I can’t open everything.”
“Then bring it to Evelyn.”
Mia laughed nervously.
“I don’t trust Evelyn.”
“Neither do I.”
That surprised her.
“Then who?”
“Independent counsel.”
Silence.
Then Mia said, “There’s a video.”
My heart changed.
“What video?”
“Your father.”
I stopped breathing.
“Alive?”
“Recorded before he died.”
“What does he say?”
“I only watched thirty seconds.”
“Tell me.”
“He says Thomas wasn’t acting alone.”
My pulse hammered.
“Who else?”
“I don’t know. That part is encrypted.”
“Come to me.”
“No.”
“Mia.”
“I humiliated you.”
“Yes.”
“I wore your robe.”
“Yes.”
“I knew Julian was married.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
“But Thomas is dangerous.”
“Did he send you to Julian?”
“Yes.”
“Did you fall for him?”
Long silence.
“That was the stupid part.”
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
Then she gave me an address.
A marina storage office.
“One hour.”
I went with Naomi and two private security professionals.
No Julian.
Mia stood inside wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.
No red dress.
No victory.
She looked twenty-four instead of dangerous.
She handed me the drive.
“I’m sorry about your anniversary.”
“Why did you come?”
“Julian insisted.”
“Why?”
“He wanted you humiliated enough to file for divorce quickly.”
My stomach turned.
“What?”
Mia nodded.
“He said if you filed first, angry, he could push a settlement before you looked at the deeper finances.”
Now the yacht made sense.
Not just cruelty.
Strategy.
“He wanted me emotional.”
“Yes.”
“He wanted me to leave.”
“Yes.”
“So he could hide the collateral fraud.”
“I think so.”
Naomi took the drive.
Then Mia pulled out her phone.
“I recorded Thomas.”
Audio played.
Thomas Grant’s voice:
Get Julian to sign the redevelopment transfers before Clara understands what she owns.
Another voice answered.
Julian.
What if she checks the trust?
Thomas laughed.
She hasn’t checked anything in ten years.
I closed my eyes.
Julian had known exactly what they were doing.
Then Mia played another file.
Thomas:
Once the Miami parcel transfers, Evelyn loses board control.
Julian:
And Clara?
Thomas:
She takes the fall for the debt.
I went cold.
Mia stopped the recording.
“I didn’t know what that meant then.”
“I do.”
They planned to load the debt into entities connected to my trust.
Potentially destroy my assets.
Maybe my reputation.
Maybe worse.
Then the marina door opened.
Mia screamed.
A man entered.
Not Thomas.
Evelyn.
She looked at the drive.
Then at Mia.
“How did you find us?” I asked.
Evelyn’s expression was calm.
“Because Mia works for me.”
Silence.
Mia went pale.
“No.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I’m afraid it’s time Clara knows the whole arrangement.”
And suddenly Mia was not Thomas’s spy.
May you like
Not Julian’s lover.
She had been Evelyn Grant’s informant all along.
