Chapter 45
Chapter 45:
Cole pinched the bridge of his nose. A dull headache throbbed behind his eyes. “I said process it, Sterling. Push it through the expedited channel. No audits p>
Sterling sighed heavily and turned to the second page in the folder.
“Mrs. Beasley also forwarded a gift list,” he said, reading from the page. “She describes it as necessary attire for herself and Alycia to attend the Global Bio-Tech Summit tonight as representatives of your party p>
Cole turned from the window. “What is it p>
“Two Hermès Himalayan Birkin bags,” Sterling said, his tone utterly flat. “And a custom Van Cleef and Arpels diamond necklace p>
A wave of pure disgust moved through Cole’s stomach. They were parasites — bleeding him under the cover of grief and obligation. His jaw clenched until his teeth ached. His knuckles whitened where they gripped the edge of the desk. Every instinct he had as a businessman told him to shred the list. But Caleb’s dying breath wrapped itself around his throat like a hand, and the self-loathing that followed made him feel physically ill.
He released the desk.
оrg𝖺𝘯𝗶𝗓𝗲 yo𝘶𝗋 𝘭ibr𝘢𝘳y о𝗻 g𝖺lո𝗼𝘃еl𝘴.𝘤𝗈m
“Send it to accounting,” Cole muttered, waving a hand. “Have it delivered to their house before noon p>
Sterling nodded and left.
The office went quiet. Cole walked to his desk. Sitting beside his keyboard was a legal notice from the bank.
Notice of Asset Unfreeze: June Erickson.
Her five percent shareholding had automatically circumvented his financial blockade. His attempt to cut her off had become an embarrassment.
Cole yanked at his silk tie, loosening it. He could not stop hearing June’s voice in his head, precise and cold. Legal acquaintance.
He pulled open the bottom drawer of his desk.
Inside sat a small square velvet box. He opened it. Resting on the black satin was a vintage pigeon-blood ruby brooch. He had bought it months ago, intending to give it to June on their fourth anniversary. But when the day arrived, Alycia had called in tears about missing Caleb, and Cole had flown to Paris to be with her instead. He had left June sitting alone in the penthouse.
Cole stared at the ruby. It looked like a drop of fresh blood.
He slammed the drawer shut and forced his eyes back to his computer screen.
In Long Island, a delivery truck pulled up to the Beasley McMansion and the driver unloaded a tower of large orange boxes.
Susan let out a shriek of delight as she tore the ribbons from the packaging. She lifted the rare crocodile-skin Birkin from its wrapping and immediately slung it over her arm, turning in front of the hallway mirror with undisguised satisfaction.
Beside her, Alycia fastened the heavy diamond Van Cleef necklace around her throat and studied her reflection. She felt invincible. She felt like the true Mrs. Compton.
Richard walked past them with his phone pressed to his ear, laughing loudly — already boasting to his golf contacts about the thirty-million-dollar contract.
“Tonight,” Susan declared, admiring herself in the glass, “the entire city will see who really holds the power in the Compton family p>