Chapter 3 - The Locked Office
Claire suspended Julian Morgan at 10:42 a.m.
By noon, half the company knew.
By two, everybody did.
Rumors moved faster than facts.
Some employees believed Julian had resigned.
Others thought Claire had discovered embezzlement.
Nobody outside the family knew about Chloe.
Claire intended to keep it that way temporarily.
Chloe arrived at headquarters at 1:15 p.m.
Her badge didn't work.
She called Claire fourteen times.
Claire answered the fifteenth.
"You locked me out."
"Correct."
"My department is running today."
"Not anymore."
"You can't fire me because Julian loves me."
Claire almost laughed.
"Is that what he told you?"
Silence.
"Come upstairs."
"My badge doesn't work."
"I know. Security will escort you."
Ten minutes later, Chloe entered Claire's office.
She had changed clothes.
Cream trousers.
White blouse.
Perfect makeup.
Claire wondered how long it had taken her sister to wash Julian from her skin.
Chloe sat without permission.
"This has gone far enough."
Claire continued reading a report.
"Has it?"
"You're humiliating me."
Claire looked up.
"That's interesting."
"What?"
"Last night you told me not to ruin my birthday."
Chloe folded her arms.
"I was angry."
"You were amused."
"I handled it badly."
"You wiped lipstick from my husband's mouth while looking at me."
Chloe said nothing.
Claire closed the report.
"How long?"
"I don't know."
"Try."
"Eight months."
Claire's expression didn't change.
Chloe looked away.
"Maybe ten."
"Try again."
"Claire."
"The restaurant footage goes back five months. You weren't kissing in those recordings."
Chloe became still.
Claire leaned forward.
"So either your affair began as a business relationship, or your business relationship began as an affair."
"You're paranoid."
"Northstar Strategic Holdings."
Chloe's eyes flickered.
There.
Claire felt the same cold satisfaction she'd experienced with Julian.
"You know it."
"No."
"Your face does."
"You're insane."
"Who owns Northstar?"
"I don't know."
"Who introduced them?"
"I don't remember."
"Eleven million dollars has moved through four vendors your department approved."
Chloe stood.
"I'm done."
Claire stood too.
"No. You're suspended."
"You can't do that."
"I just did."
"Dad won't allow it."
"Dad asked me this morning whether he should call the FBI."
Chloe went pale.
It was a lie.
Robert had said nothing about federal investigators.
But Chloe didn't know that.
"FBI?"
Claire watched her.
"Why does that frighten you?"
"It doesn't."
"Then sit."
Chloe didn't.
Claire walked around the desk.
"You have one chance to tell me what's happening."
"Nothing is happening."
"Julian forged my signature."
"You can't prove that."
Claire stopped.
Chloe realized her mistake.
Claire's voice became softer.
"I never said Julian forged it."
Chloe's mouth opened.
No words came.
Claire stepped closer.
"How did you know?"
"I assumed."
"No."
"Because you're blaming him for everything."
"No."
Chloe grabbed her purse.
Claire didn't stop her.
At the door, Chloe turned.
"You think you're so much smarter than everyone."
Claire said nothing.
"You always have."
"Is that why you slept with my husband?"
Chloe's face hardened.
"You had everything."
There it was.
Not remorse.
Resentment.
Claire felt something inside her finally detach.
"I protected you."
"You controlled me."
"I gave you a career."
"You gave me scraps from your table."
"I gave you a six-figure salary."
"You own the table."
Claire stared at her.
Chloe's eyes filled with years of bitterness.
"Dad gave you the company. Grandma gave you shares. Everyone always trusted Claire. Responsible Claire. Brilliant Claire."
"So you decided to steal from me?"
"I didn't say that."
"No. But you're finally saying something true."
Chloe reached for the door.
Claire spoke once more.
"Does Julian love you?"
Chloe stopped.
Claire almost felt cruel.
Almost.
"Did he tell you he would leave me?"
Slowly, Chloe turned.
"He is leaving you."
"Interesting."
"He loves me."
"Then why hasn't he filed for divorce?"
"He was waiting."
"For what?"
Chloe didn't answer.
Claire suddenly understood.
"For the money."
Chloe's expression betrayed her again.
Claire whispered, "Oh my God."
"Shut up."
"He wasn't waiting to leave me."
"Shut up."
"He was waiting for something financial to happen."
Chloe opened the door.
Claire followed.
"What was it?"
Chloe walked faster.
"Chloe."
Employees turned.
Claire stopped herself from shouting.
Her sister entered the elevator.
Just before the doors closed, Chloe said, "Ask Dad what happens to your shares if you die."
The doors shut.
Claire stood motionless.
Behind her, Ethan had emerged from the conference room.
He had heard.
"Claire?"
She looked at him.
"What happens to my shares if I die?"
Ethan hesitated.
"I don't know."
Claire did.
At least she thought she did.
May you like
Her shares would transfer into the Morgan Family Trust.
And Julian was one of its trustees.
