Chapter 6 - The Ride Home
The drive from the hotel to Vale Tower lasted twelve minutes.
Neither Lena nor Adrian spoke during the first four.
Rain moved across the car windows, transforming the city into streaks of red, white and gold.
Their driver, Marcus, sat behind a privacy partition.
Lena considered asking him to stop.
Then she noticed the lock indicator beside her door.
Child lock active.
Adrian followed her gaze.
“A safety feature.”
“Turn it off.”
“When we get home.”
“Turn it off now.”
He smiled faintly.
“You’re becoming dramatic.”
Lena reached inside her handbag and touched the hidden drive.
Adrian noticed the movement.
“Give me the bag.”
“No.”
His smile disappeared.
“Lena.”
“You forged my signature.”
The words filled the car.
Adrian did not deny it.
Instead, he looked almost relieved.
“At last.”
“You stole from Hartwell.”
“I moved money where it could be useful.”
“To companies you control.”
“To companies capable of protecting Hartwell from people like your father.”
“My father built Hartwell.”
“Your father nearly destroyed it with sentiment.”
Lena stared at him.
Adrian continued calmly.
“He refused international expansion because he worried about employee layoffs. He rejected automation because he felt responsible for outdated factories. He built an impressive company and then allowed emotion to limit it.”
“So you married me.”
“I married you because I believed we could build something greater.”
“You investigated me before we met.”
“I learned about you.”
“You created false medical records.”
This time, Adrian paused.
“That was a precaution.”
“To have me declared incompetent?”
“Only if you became unreasonable.”
Lena laughed once, without humor.
“And who decides what unreasonable means?”
“I do, when your decisions threaten thousands of employees and billions in value.”
“You mean when my decisions threaten you.”
The car turned into the underground entrance of Vale Tower.
Lena’s pulse accelerated.
Building cameras recorded the garage, but Adrian controlled the security company.
She discreetly pressed the power button on her phone five times, activating an emergency shortcut. A silent message was sent to Margaret and Vincent.
Adrian held out his hand.
“The drive.”
“I don’t have it.”
“The hotel cameras show you entering my office with Daniel.”
“Then you already know I copied the files.”
“I know you tried.”
The car stopped near the private elevator.
Adrian stepped out and waited.
Lena did not move.
Marcus opened her door from the outside.
His eyes met hers for half a second.
He knew something was wrong.
But he looked away.
Adrian offered Lena his hand.
“Do not embarrass yourself.”
She ignored his hand and stepped from the car.
The private elevator required Adrian’s fingerprint. Once the doors closed, it would travel directly to their apartment.
Lena looked toward the garage exit.
Two security guards stood near the reception booth.
“Lena,” Adrian said.
She considered running.
Then Adrian spoke more quietly.
“If you create a public scene, everyone will see the medical petition tomorrow morning.”
Lena turned toward him.
“The psychiatrist will testify that you became unstable after your father’s death. The board will suspend your voting authority before breakfast.”
“You would destroy my life to protect a deal?”
“No.”
Adrian pressed his thumb to the elevator panel.
“I would protect our life from your panic.”
The doors opened.
Lena entered because she needed him to believe she had surrendered.
During the ride upward, she opened her handbag and removed a compact mirror.
The action concealed her phone beneath the fabric.
She opened Vincent’s emergency number and typed three words.
Files secured. He knows.
The elevator stopped.
Before the doors opened, Adrian took the handbag from her.
Lena resisted for only a second.
Too much resistance would reveal the hidden pocket containing the drive.
Adrian emptied the bag onto the living-room table.
Lipstick.
Keys.
Wallet.
Compact mirror.
A folded gala program.
The cream-colored envelope from Thomas.
Adrian picked it up.
“What is this?”
“Something my father gave me.”
He removed Vincent’s card.
Recognition flashed across his face.
“You contacted Moretti.”
Lena said nothing.
Adrian tore the card in half.
The brass key had already been removed, but the second phone number was written on the back.
Adrian saw it.
His composure cracked.
“What did you tell him?”
“The truth.”
“He doesn’t care about the truth.”
“He cared enough to listen.”
“Vincent Moretti cares about leverage.”
“Then perhaps you should worry about how much leverage I gave him.”
Adrian swept the contents of the bag onto the floor.
“Where is the drive?”
Lena looked toward the apartment entrance.
The private elevator had closed behind them.
The doors required Adrian’s code to reopen.
“I sent the files.”
“To whom?”
“Everyone who needs them.”
Adrian moved closer.
Lena stepped backward.
The living room felt enormous, but every path led toward a locked door or sealed window.
Her phone remained hidden beneath the gala program on the floor.
Adrian noticed Lena looking at it.
He reached down.
She moved first.
Lena grabbed the phone and ran toward the bedroom hallway.
Adrian followed.
She entered the bathroom and slammed the door.
The lock clicked one second before he reached it.
“Lena.”
She pressed both hands against the marble counter, trying to control her breathing.
Her phone showed a message from Vincent.
Share location. Call now.
She activated location sharing and pressed the call button.
Outside, Adrian struck the door.
The mirror lights trembled.
Vincent answered.
“Where are you?”
“In the bathroom.”
“Is the door locked?”
“For now.”
“Police have the files. My security team is three blocks away.”
Adrian hit the door again.
“How long?”
Vincent checked the location.
“Eight minutes.”
May you like
Lena looked at the lock shifting inside its frame.
She did not think the door would survive eight minutes.
