Chapter 15 - THE GIRL WHO WANTED EVERYTHING|
Sloane's voice sounded different without an audience.
There was no sweetness. No theatrical laughter. Only exhaustion and anger.
"I didn't know about the forged documents," she said.
"But you knew Dad was your father."
"Yes."
"You knew he was paying you."
"Yes."
"You knew he expected me to marry Oliver."
"I knew he wanted the engagement."
"And you still ripped my dress."
Sloane went quiet.
"I was angry."
"At me?"
"At everything."
Camille almost laughed.
"You humiliated me because you were angry about your own life?"
"You had everything."
Camille looked at the ceiling.
"Did I?"
"You had his name. His attention. The hotels. Grandma loved you more than anyone."
"Grandma loved the person who showed up for her."
Sloane's breathing grew uneven.
"I was told to make you look unstable. If you lost your temper, Russell could claim you weren't fit to take over the trust."
Camille felt a chill.
"Who told you?"
"Your father."
The room went silent.
"Did he tell you to tear my dress?"
"No. That was my idea."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted you to feel small."
Camille closed her eyes.
At least Sloane was honest about that.
"Did you know about the medication?"
"No."
"Did you know about the insurance policy?"
"No."
"Did you know he was planning to transfer the hotels?"
Sloane hesitated.
"I knew about the money. I didn't know about Grandma."
Camille rubbed her forehead.
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to believe I didn't know everything."
"Why should I?"
"Because I have something that can help you."
Camille looked at Everett.
"What?"
"A recording of Russell and your father discussing the transfer. I made it because I didn't trust them."
"Why would you record them?"
"Because they promised me money and then changed the amount. I wanted proof."
Camille considered that.
"Send it to Lydia."
"I will. But I want something."
Camille's expression hardened.
"What?"
"I want you to tell everyone I wasn't involved in the forgery."
"If the evidence proves that, I'll tell the truth."
"That's not enough."
"Then you should have thought about that before you tore my dress."
Sloane started crying.
Camille ended the call.
Everett watched her.
"You don't have to forgive her."
"I'm not going to."
"Good."
Camille looked at him.
"But I'm not going to lie about her either."
Everett nodded.
Her phone buzzed again.
A new message from Lydia appeared.
The recording is authentic. But there's something more important. Russell has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow. He's announcing that you have agreed to sell your shares.
Camille stared at the message.
May you like
She had not agreed to anything.
And now the Briarwoods were preparing to announce her surrender before she had even entered the room.
