Let Him Lie
Chapter 12 - Let Him Lie
Richard entered the boardroom believing he had won.
He had no idea Victoria was in the adjoining room with federal investigators reviewing financial records linked to the foundation.
Emma sat beside Julian.
Samuel Price sat opposite them.
The meeting began.
Richard spoke for forty minutes.
He called Emma manipulative.
He called Laura unstable.
He claimed the bracelet incident had been an unfortunate misunderstanding created by hotel staff.
Then he made his mistake.
“I never communicated with Claire Sutton before the gala.”
Emma looked at Julian.
Julian said nothing.
Richard continued.
“I never instructed anyone to remove Emma Reed from the event.”
Emma slid a folder across the table.
Victoria’s emails.
Richard did not touch them.
His lawyer did.
The lawyer’s face changed.
Then Marcus played an audio recording Claire had turned over to police.
Richard’s voice filled the room.
Keep the Reed girl away from Julian. I don’t care how embarrassed she gets. She cannot hand him that letter.
No one moved.
Richard looked at Emma.
His calm finally disappeared.
“You think this makes you one of us?”
Emma stood.
“No.”
She looked around the boardroom.
“I think spending your life deciding who counts as ‘one of us’ is what made you this.”
Richard pushed back his chair.
Then the adjoining door opened.
Victoria entered.
Behind her were two investigators.
Richard stared at her.
She did not look away.
The foundation’s financial review had uncovered more than blackmail.
For twelve years, Richard had moved charitable funds through consulting firms controlled by friends.
Millions were missing.
The scandal he had tried to prevent had arrived anyway.
Only it had his name on it.
As Richard was escorted out for questioning, he stopped beside Emma.
“This family will eat you alive.”
May you like
Emma met his eyes.
“Then maybe the family needs to change.”
