Chapter 3 - The Pregnancy Wasn’t the First Secret
Claire recovered faster than Adrian.
“That payment was legitimate consulting compensation.”
Daniel opened another file.
“For what services?”
She hesitated.
“Strategic restructuring.”
“Deliverables?”
“My work was advisory.”
“Reports?”
“Verbal.”
“Three-point-two million dollars of verbal advice?”
Her face hardened.
“I don’t like your tone.”
Daniel remained expressionless.
“I don’t require you to.”
Arthur leaned back.
“Adrian, did the board approve this?”
“No formal approval was required.”
“That is not what I asked.”
Silence.
The company’s general counsel, Mara Chen, began reading.
Her expression darkened.
“You signed this as both CEO and executive sponsor.”
Adrian looked cornered.
Then Claire suddenly pressed a hand to her stomach.
Adrian immediately turned.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Every head shifted.
Claire had discovered the most effective object in the room.
Her pregnancy.
Again.
Arthur ended the meeting pending further review.
Adrian followed me to the elevator.
“You humiliated me.”
“No.”
I pressed the button.
“You finally did something without me cleaning it up.”
He lowered his voice.
“You think the board will choose you?”
“I didn’t ask them to.”
“You always wanted my position.”
I looked at him.
“I spent eight years keeping you in it.”
The elevator opened.
Before I stepped inside, Claire appeared behind him.
Her face was pale.
“Evelyn.”
I turned.
“I need to speak to you alone.”
Adrian frowned.
“About what?”
“Nothing.”
She looked directly at me.
“Please.”
That word surprised me.
We went to an empty conference room.
Claire shut the door.
Then she dropped the performance.
“I didn’t know about the pledged shares.”
I folded my arms.
“But you knew about CLC.”
“Yes.”
“Why did Adrian pay you?”
She looked toward the glass wall.
“Because I knew something.”
“About what?”
“Him.”
I waited.
Claire’s hand moved over her stomach.
Then she whispered:
“The baby may not be Adrian’s.”
I stared at her.
She kept going.
“I told him the timing fit.”
“But?”
“It doesn’t.”
My anger shifted.
Not sympathy.
Attention.
“Who is the father?”
She closed her eyes.
“Possibly Marcus Dane.”
The name meant something.
Too much.
Marcus Dane had been Adrian’s oldest friend.
Former CFO.
The man I caught hiding accounting fraud three years earlier.
The man Adrian refused to fire until I threatened to resign.
He eventually disappeared from the company.
Or so I thought.
Claire looked at me.
“He never disappeared.”
My stomach tightened.
“What do you mean?”
May you like
She swallowed.
“Marcus is behind the loans.”
