Chapter 13 - The OfferLeonard invited Emma to lunch.
She almost refused.
Then she decided she wanted to see him without Adrian present.
Leonard chose a private club overlooking the harbor.
“You resemble Julianne,” he said.
Emma did not thank him.
Leonard placed an envelope on the table.
Inside was a bank document.
Twenty million dollars.
Emma stared.
Leonard said:
“You can have a life beyond anything you've imagined.”
“In exchange for what?”
“Privacy.”
Emma laughed quietly.
“So this is hush money.”
“This is protection.”
“From you?”
Leonard's face hardened.
“Your mother was idealistic. She believed truth was more important than consequences.”
“Was she wrong?”
“Sometimes.”
Emma slid the envelope back.
Leonard did not touch it.
“You think Adrian will choose you over everything he built?”
“He already chose the investigation.”
“For now.”
Leonard leaned closer.
“Men like Adrian love principles until principles cost them their lives.”
Emma stood.
Leonard said:
“You are making the same mistake Julianne made.”
Emma stopped.
There it was.
Not denial.
Recognition.
She turned.
“What mistake?”
Leonard realized he had spoken too freely.
Emma smiled without warmth.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally telling me my mother was telling the truth.”
Emma left the envelope untouched.
Outside, she called Adrian.
“He offered me twenty million.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“And?”
“I told him no.”
“You should have taken it.”
Emma stared at the phone.
“What?”
“Then we could have used his money to pay the lawyers helping expose him.”
May you like
Emma laughed for the first time all day.
“Maybe you really are my father.”
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