Chapter 9 - My Grandmother's Emerald

The board meeting ended at 8:15 a.m.

Julian was ordered to surrender his company phone, executive credentials, and corporate vehicle.

He refused.

Security waited.

Eventually, he dropped the phone onto the table.

Then he looked at me.

“This marriage is over.”

I stood.

“It ended before last night.”

I walked out.

Camille was waiting in the executive lounge.

She had changed into one of her own dresses.

But she was still wearing the emerald.

She smiled when she saw me.

“Interesting morning.”

I stopped.

“You're wearing something that belongs to me.”

Her fingers touched the pendant.

“Julian gave it to me.”

“He stole it.”

Her smile weakened.

“He said it belonged to his family.”

“That pendant was photographed on my grandmother before Julian was born.”

Camille glanced toward the boardroom.

“You should discuss that with your husband.”

“I am discussing it with the person currently wearing stolen property.”

Her expression hardened.

“You think your family money makes you untouchable.”

“No.”

I stepped closer.

“I think documentation makes ownership very easy to prove.”

That wiped the smile away.

I continued.

“The pendant has a serial registration with my family's insurer.”

Camille swallowed.

“It was reappraised recently.”

“I know.”

“Then you know Julian handled everything.”

“I know he used company resources to insure it under your name.”

Her face changed.

That surprised her.

Good.

“I didn't ask him to do that.”

“You still accepted it.”

“He told me you gave it back.”

I almost laughed.

“Why would I give my dead grandmother's pendant to my husband's mistress?”

She looked away.

For the first time, Camille appeared less confident than frightened.

I understood something.

She knew a great deal.

But perhaps not everything.

“Take it off.”

She hesitated.

I didn't move.

Finally, she reached behind her neck.

Her hands trembled as she opened the clasp.

She placed the emerald pendant in my palm.

The weight of it nearly broke me.

My grandmother had worn it for forty-three years.

I closed my fingers around the stone.

Camille whispered.

“Elena.”

I looked at her.

“There are things you don't know.”

“I'm learning that.”

“No.”

She glanced around.

“I mean about Julian.”

I waited.

Camille lowered her voice.

“He's been preparing for months.”

“For what?”

“To leave.”

“That isn't exactly a revelation.”

“Not just you.”

Her eyes met mine.

“The company.”

My chest tightened.

“He was planning to take investors with him.”

“Which investors?”

“The overseas group.”

“What overseas group?”

Camille's face went pale.

Before she could answer, Julian emerged from the boardroom.

He saw us together.

Then he saw the pendant in my hand.

The look on his face wasn't embarrassment.

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It was fear.

And suddenly I knew the emerald had led us to something much larger than an affair.