Chapter 8 - Two Million Dollars
Julian wanted to pay Peter.
Rebecca refused.
“If you buy evidence from a witness for two million dollars, every opposing lawyer will make it radioactive.”
“He has the footage.”
“He claims he has footage.”
“I believe him.”
“That does not make paying him intelligent.”
Emily stood at Rebecca’s conference table.
“What if Victoria pays him first?”
“She might.”
“So we do nothing?”
“No. We use lawful pressure.”
Rebecca had already notified Vale Meridian’s outside counsel that Peter admitted possessing preserved surveillance potentially subject to litigation.
She also contacted Westchester County prosecutors regarding possible evidence tampering.
It wasn’t enough for Emily.
Nothing felt fast enough anymore.
That afternoon, she made her second major mistake.
She called Peter herself.
“You shouldn’t have my number,” he said.
“I worked at Blackthorne.”
“So?”
“Two million is impossible.”
“Then we’re finished.”
“My mother is dead because she spent her final months trying to preserve something these people wanted erased.”
Peter was silent.
Emily continued.
“You helped them search her office.”
“How do you know that?”
“I didn’t.”
Silence.
Emily closed her eyes.
Peter cursed softly.
“What do you want?”
“The footage.”
“You heard my price.”
“You’re not getting paid for hiding evidence you were ordered to destroy.”
His voice hardened.
“Careful.”
“No. You be careful. Victoria is preparing to sacrifice you.”
“You think Julian won’t?”
“I think all of you helped create this.”
Peter ended the call.
Twenty minutes later, Rebecca called.
“What did you do?”
Emily’s stomach dropped.
“What?”
“Peter’s lawyer just accused us of witness harassment.”
Emily sank into a chair.
“I called him.”
“I specifically told you not to contact witnesses.”
“I thought—”
“That is the problem.”
Rebecca’s anger was controlled, which made it worse.
“You are not investigating this yourself. You are a represented party. Everything you say can be used.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t unmake evidence.”
Emily pressed a hand against her forehead.
By evening, Victoria’s lawyers had a sworn declaration from Peter stating that Emily had pressured him to fabricate testimony against the Vale family.
“He flipped,” Emily whispered.
Julian read the declaration.
“He’s lying.”
“He knows details only because I pushed him.”
Rebecca nodded.
“And now he’s claiming you fed those details to him.”
Emily wanted to disappear.
Julian said, “Victoria bought him.”
Rebecca replied, “Maybe. Proving it matters.”
Emily looked at Julian.
“How much cash can Victoria access personally?”
“Millions.”
“And Adrian?”
“Far more.”
The power gap became brutally clear.
Emily had a notebook.
A dead mother’s letter.
A recording of Victoria ordering a camera destroyed.
They had lawyers, publicists, security, board influence, and money capable of turning witnesses.
Julian said, “There’s another path.”
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“No.”
Emily looked between them.
“What?”
Julian walked to the window.
“Vale Meridian has an independent audit committee.”
Rebecca said, “You have pending litigation against the company. They’ll treat anything from you as hostile.”
“Not if it comes from Emily.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Sending unverified allegations to directors could expose her.”
Emily stood.
“What would happen?”
“If the audit committee believes senior officers manipulated corporate records, it could retain outside investigators.”
“And Adrian couldn’t control them?”
“In theory.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“In theory is better than nothing.”
Emily thought of Nora’s sentence.
Make them prove themselves.
“Send only what we can prove.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“The transfer. Victoria’s voicemail. The security recording. Peter’s resignation timeline. Your mother’s letter, selectively.”
“No.”
They both looked at Emily.
“My mother’s letter stays private.”
Julian nodded.
Rebecca did too.
For the first time, Emily felt like she had made a decision that was hers.
The audit committee received the evidence that night.
The response came at 7:04 a.m.
They had retained independent counsel.
They also instructed Vale Meridian to preserve all files relating to Nora Carter, Emily Carter, Julian Vale, the family trust, and the September twelfth gatehouse surveillance.
Adrian called an emergency board meeting.
Victoria called Emily.
Emily didn’t answer.
Victoria sent a text instead.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU JUST STARTED.
Emily replied before Rebecca could stop her.
I THINK YOU DO.
Three dots appeared.
Then vanished.
At noon, Julian received a notice from Vale Meridian’s board secretary.
The company’s lenders had demanded clarification regarding governance risk.
An emergency board meeting was scheduled for Friday.
Julian was invited as a significant shareholder.
Emily looked at him.
“This is good.”
“Maybe.”
“What’s wrong?”
Julian handed her another document.
Vale Meridian’s legal team had moved in New York Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order against him.
The petition accused Julian of conspiring with Emily to steal protected corporate records and manipulate the board.
Attached was an exhibit.
A security photograph showing Emily entering Julian’s guest apartment carrying Nora’s green notebook.
Emily stared.
“That photograph was taken two nights ago.”
Julian walked to the window.
“They’re watching the building.”
Emily felt the walls close in.
Then Rebecca called.
Her voice was unusually tight.
“Emily, I need you to check every device in the guest apartment.”
“Why?”
May you like
“Because the photograph was taken from inside the building.”
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