Chapter 3 - THE EMPLOYEES TALK
By midnight, seventeen employees had given statements.
Not to police.
Not yet.
To Dad’s attorney.
Blackthorn Estate belonged to Adrian’s family.
The staff had been terrified of losing their jobs.
Celeste knew that.
She used it.
Maria showed us a photo of a bruise on her wrist.
Celeste had grabbed her over a spilled drink.
A valet had a voice recording.
A housekeeper had text messages.
One line stayed with me.
IF YOU COMPLAIN, I’LL MAKE SURE YOU NEVER WORK AT ANOTHER LUXURY PROPERTY.
Dad read it twice.
Then handed me the phone.
“People like this don’t start with daughters of billionaires.”
I looked at him.
“They practice on people they think can’t fight back.”
He nodded.
I hated that he was right.
Victor begged us not to involve the press.
Dad refused to promise anything.
Then Adrian found me in the library.
“Lena.”
I kept reading statements.
“Can we talk?”
“We are.”
He closed the door.
“I need you to understand something about Celeste.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“No?”
“I don’t need to understand why she humiliates employees.”
“She’s under pressure.”
“So is everyone.”
“She’s been planning this wedding for a year.”
I stared at him.
“That explains assault?”
He looked embarrassed.
“No.”
“Then what are we doing?”
He sat across from me.
“Her family’s company is in trouble.”
“I know.”
“You know everything?”
“Enough.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“If your father reacts emotionally, thousands of jobs could be affected.”
There it was.
The hostage argument.
Be nice to the rich woman who hurts workers because workers need her company.
I stood.
“My father isn’t emotional.”
“He looked furious.”
“He is.”
“That’s emotion.”
“No.”
I opened the door.
“That’s information.”
Adrian followed me.
“What does that mean?”
“It means he just learned who he’s lending money to.”
In the hallway, Dad’s attorney approached.
“Lena.”
His expression was wrong.
“What?”
“We found a clause in Harrow Crest’s bridge facility.”
Dad came out of the study.
The attorney continued.
“Material misconduct by controlling-family members can trigger a governance review.”
Victor appeared behind him.
He had heard.
“No.”
Dad looked at him.
Victor whispered.
“Elias, please.”
Then the attorney said.
“There’s more.”
“Harrow Crest submitted employee-conduct certifications to Mercer Dominion last quarter.”
Dad’s face changed.
“Signed by whom?”
The attorney looked at Victor.
“Victor Harrow.”
The employees’ complaints had not been hidden from him.
May you like
He had certified they did not exist.
