Chapter 13 - The Counterattack
Grant did not surrender.
He hired one of the most aggressive crisis firms in the country.
Suddenly articles appeared questioning my father's business practices.
Old lawsuits involving Vance Logistics resurfaced.
Anonymous sources claimed Arthur wanted to acquire Whitmore assets at a discount.
Someone leaked photographs of me entering my father's corporate headquarters.
The implication was obvious.
This had all been planned.
Grant wanted the world to believe I had invented the assault to help my father destroy him.
Then came the photograph that hurt most.
It showed me hugging Vanessa outside Rachel's office.
The headline read:
WIFE AND MISTRESS UNITED IN BILLION-DOLLAR TAKEDOWN.
I stared at it for a long time.
Vanessa looked horrified.
“I’m sorry.”
“You didn't publish it.”
“No.”
“But I created this.”
“You slept with my husband.”
She flinched.
“I know.”
I finally said what I had been holding back.
“You stood there smiling while he hit me.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I know.”
“You could have stopped him.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
Neither of us spoke.
Then Vanessa whispered.
“I thought if he was angry at you, he wouldn't be angry at me.”
The honesty was ugly.
That was why I believed it.
Grant had trained both of us to compete for safety.
If one woman was beneath him, the other could pretend she was beside him.
Vanessa wiped her face.
“I don't expect forgiveness.”
“Good.”
I looked at her.
“Because I don't have it yet.”
She nodded.
“But I need you to testify.”
“I will.”
“Even if they charge you?”
Her face went pale.
“Yes.”
That answer mattered.
The counterattack continued for four days.
Then it collapsed.
A journalist obtained authentic bank documents linking Bellweather funds to Grant's personal accounts.
Another outlet published emails showing Grant had approved altered forecasts.
The crisis firm resigned.
Their statement contained only one sentence.
New information has materially changed our understanding of the matter.
Grant had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to control the story.
May you like
But facts were becoming more expensive to bury.
And he was running out of money.
