Chapter 199
Jocelyn’s heart quickened. Was he flirting with her? Was this another layer of the performance? Or was it real?
Before she could ask, the door burst open.
“Uncle G! Auntie Jo!”
Aaden came running in, dragging a teddy bear nearly as large as himself.
The moment shattered. Gaston sat back, looking simultaneously frustrated and amused. He pressed a hand over his face.
“Aaden,” he sighed. “What did I say about knocking?”
“Grandpa sent me! And chocolates!” Aaden dropped a gold box of Godiva onto the bed. It landed squarely on Jocelyn’s legs.
Jocelyn laughed — a real laugh, weak but genuine. “Thank you, Aaden.”
S𝗵a𝗿e 𝘺𝗼𝘶r 𝘵h𝘰𝘶𝘨𝗁t𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘨а𝗅ո𝗼𝗏𝘦𝘭𝗌.c𝗼𝗺
Aaden climbed carefully onto the bed, mindful of the IV line. He looked up at her with wide, solemn eyes.
“Are you sick because of the bad lady?” he whispered.
Jocelyn stilled. “Who told you about the bad lady?”
“Uncle G said a witch hurt you,” Aaden nodded gravely. “And he said he’s gonna drop a house on her.”
Jocelyn looked at Gaston.
He winked. “Wizard of Oz reference. Keeping it PG.”
Jocelyn smiled. For a moment, the darkness of the Schneider family felt very far away.
Monday morning arrived with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
In the boardroom of Schneider Corp, panic was the only item on the agenda.
Robert Schneider was sweating through his collar, staring at the large screen mounted on the wall. The Schneider Corp ticker was in freefall — a cascade of red arrows with no floor in sight.
“What is happening? Why is everyone selling?” he screamed at his CFO.
“It’s a coordinated short attack, sir,” the CFO stammered, typing furiously. “And all our credit lines just got frozen.”
“Frozen? By whom?” Robert slammed his hand on the table.
“First National, Chase, Citi — all of them. Simultaneously,” the CFO said, his face the color of old paper. “They cited risk assessment.”
Kieran’s face materialized on the video conference screen. He looked grim.
“It’s Collins, Robert,” Kieran said, his voice flat through the speakers.
“Collins? Why would they —” Robert stopped. His face went slack. “Oh god.”
“You disowned his wife,” Kieran said dryly. “Did you think he’d send a thank-you card?”
“But it’s a fake marriage! Everyone says so! He is gay — it’s a business arrangement!” Robert sputtered.
“Fake or not, you insulted the Collins name,” Kieran said. “Elbert Collins doesn’t forgive insults. And Gaston Collins doesn’t forgive attacks on what belongs to him.”
A secretary burst into the room, breathless. “Mr. Schneider — the SEC is in the lobby. A raid. They have a warrant for all financial records going back ten years.”
“A raid?” Robert sank into his chair.
The house was falling.
In the hospital room, Gaston was watching the news on his tablet, a quiet, satisfied smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
Schneider Corp Shares Halted Pending Investigation.
Jocelyn woke from a nap and stretched, wincing slightly. “What are you smiling at?”
“Just some favorable market trends,” Gaston said. He turned off the screen and set the tablet aside.
.
.