Chapter 8 - Someone Inside the Penthouse.
Elena opened the bedroom door only after Sofia disappeared into the dressing room.
Adrian stood outside with two security officers.
"Are you all right?"
"Fine."
His eyes moved over her face.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
The lie tasted awful.
Adrian stepped into the room.
"The service elevator was triggered remotely."
"Did anyone get in?"
"We don't know."
Elena glanced toward the dressing room without meaning to.
Adrian noticed.
His gaze followed hers.
For one terrible second, she thought he knew.
Then one of the officers spoke.
"Sir, Marcus is on the line."
Adrian turned away.
Elena used the moment to breathe.
Sofia had asked for ten minutes.
Ten minutes to copy the memory card onto Elena's phone through a cable.
Ten minutes to explain why she did not trust the security network.
Ten minutes to prove that someone close to Adrian had betrayed him.
Elena hated keeping it from him.
But she hated blind trust more.
Adrian ended the call.
"Preston is giving a press conference at noon."
"Of course he is."
"Victor will be beside him."
"Of course he will."
"They're accusing you of conspiring with me to move Marlowe assets offshore."
Elena laughed.
"I learned what Northstar was this morning."
"Facts are slower than headlines."
"Then we make them faster."
Adrian studied her.
"Meaning?"
"I go to the press conference."
"No."
"There you go ordering me again."
"You're not walking into Victor's staged event."
"Why not?"
"Because he wants you emotional and defensive."
"Then I won't be either."
Adrian took a step closer.
"Elena, this isn't a gala argument anymore."
"I know."
"People have stolen identities, forged documents, drugged you, and compromised my company."
"Exactly."
She held his gaze.
"Which is why I'm done hiding in your bedroom while men explain my life to me."
Something shifted in Adrian's face.
Respect, perhaps.
Or resignation.
"What would you say?"
Elena picked up the forged guarantee.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"I would ask Preston to sign his statement."
Adrian's brow lifted.
Elena smiled without humor.
"If signatures are Victor's favorite weapon, let's make him afraid of one."
At 11:58 A.M., the ballroom at the Halcyon Hotel was packed with cameras.
Preston stood at a podium wearing a navy suit and a carefully injured expression.
Victor stood behind him.
Elena watched from a service corridor with Adrian several feet away.
"You still have time to change your mind," he said.
"Do you?"
"About what?"
"Marrying me."
Adrian looked at her.
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Elena ignored the strange warmth it created.
Onstage, Preston began.
"I never imagined a private betrayal would become a public crisis."
Elena rolled her eyes.
"He practiced that in a mirror."
Adrian almost smiled.
Preston continued.
"Last night, I discovered Elena had been secretly coordinating with Adrian Vale to manipulate Marlowe Systems assets."
Victor lowered his head solemnly.
Elena's anger became cold.
Preston told reporters he had confronted her.
He claimed Adrian threatened him.
He claimed Elena signed the twenty-eight-million-dollar guarantee voluntarily as part of a transaction meant to move funds.
Then he held up a copy of the forged document.
That was Elena's cue.
She walked onto the stage.
The room exploded with shouted questions.
Preston went white.
Victor's expression barely changed.
"Elena," Preston said softly.
"You shouldn't be here."
She took the microphone from the stunned moderator.
"You said I signed that voluntarily."
Preston recovered quickly.
"You did."
"Good."
Elena held out a pen.
"Sign your statement."
He stared at it.
"What?"
"Sign a sworn statement that you personally watched me sign that guarantee."
Cameras clicked.
Preston glanced toward Victor.
Tiny movement.
Huge mistake.
Elena saw it.
So did the reporters.
"Why are you looking at my uncle?"
"I'm not."
"Then sign."
She placed a prepared affidavit on the podium.
Adrian's attorney had drafted it.
Preston looked down.
"This is a stunt."
"So sign it."
"I don't need to prove anything to you."
"You just called a press conference to prove something to everyone."
A reporter laughed.
Preston's face tightened.
Victor stepped forward.
"Elena, you're upset."
She turned toward him.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Use the voice you used after my father died."
The room went quiet.
Victor's smile disappeared.
Elena held up the blue pen.
"Preston says he watched me sign."
She looked at the cameras.
"My father taught me to sign every legal document in dark blue ink."
She lifted the forged guarantee.
"This signature is black."
A murmur moved through the room.
Preston's face drained.
Elena continued.
"I also have a toxicology report showing a sedative was in my system last night."
Victor's eyes flashed.
"Careful," he said quietly.
Elena heard the warning.
So did Adrian.
He moved one step closer.
Elena did not stop.
"And I have records showing Northstar Heritage Partners is tied to entities controlled by Victor Marlowe."
Reporters erupted.
Victor reached for the microphone.
Elena stepped back.
"If any part of that is false, sue me."
Victor stared at her.
For the first time in her life, Elena saw hatred in her uncle's face.
Not disappointment.
Not concern.
Hatred.
Then Preston did something unexpected.
He grabbed the microphone.
"She's right."
Victor turned sharply.
Preston's hands trembled.
"I didn't watch her sign it."
The room erupted again.
Victor seized Preston's arm.
Preston pulled away.
"I'm done."
Elena stared at him.
"Done with what?"
Preston looked directly at her.
"Victor told me the document was only supposed to freeze your shares."
"You forged my signature."
"I didn't forge it."
"Then who did?"
Preston's eyes filled with panic.
"The company lawyer."
Elena remembered her father's note.
Do not trust the company lawyer.
"Richard Bell?"
Preston nodded.
Victor stepped backward.
Adrian's security moved immediately.
But Victor was already reaching inside his jacket.
Cameras screamed.
Security surged.
Victor pulled out a phone, not a weapon.
He pressed one button.
Every screen in the ballroom went black.
Then a video began to play.
It showed Elena at Adrian's penthouse the night before.
She was sitting at the kitchen island.
Adrian stood beside her.
May you like
And Elena's recorded voice said clearly,
"Once we're married, transfer the shares to Adrian."
