Chapter 17 - Evelyn’s Missing File
Evelyn had represented Victoria for nearly nine years.
She had handled acquisitions, employment disputes and the divorce. Victoria had trusted her with information no one else possessed.
But when Daniel examined Evelyn’s certificate history, he found a missing entry.
Someone had copied her digital legal authorization three years earlier.
The copy had been reported and replaced.
Evelyn had never told Victoria.
“It happened during a courthouse system breach,” Evelyn explained. “Hundreds of attorneys were affected. The certificate was canceled before anyone used it.”
“Someone used it for the trust.”
“Then the cancellation failed.”
Victoria asked why no record of the incident existed in Meridian’s files.
Evelyn hesitated.
Because Grant Holloway had contacted her after the breach.
He claimed to possess personal correspondence that could damage one of Evelyn’s clients. In exchange for his silence, he asked her not to investigate the stolen certificate.
“You agreed?” Victoria asked.
“I believed the certificate was useless.”
“You allowed him to decide what I was permitted to know.”
Evelyn’s voice weakened.
“Yes.”
The betrayal was smaller than Arthur’s and less cruel than Brooke’s.
But it came from the same place.
Someone Victoria trusted had chosen silence because telling the truth felt inconvenient.
Evelyn removed her Meridian identification card and placed it on the desk.
“I’ll resign.”
“No,” Victoria said. “You will remain until this is finished.”
“You still trust me?”
“No. But you know Grant, and he believes your silence still belongs to him.”
That evening, Evelyn received a call from Grant.
He offered to return Brooke safely and destroy the employee files.
May you like
His price was simple.
Victoria had to sell him the family support center.
