Chapter 3 - The Debt That Never Existed
Vivian stared at her father.
“You sold me to keep me alive?”
Richard flinched.
“I didn’t sell you.”
“You told me you owed Adrian eight million dollars.”
“I did owe money.”
“You just said it wasn’t his.”
“It wasn’t.”
Adrian planted both hands on the desk.
“Start at the beginning.”
Richard looked older than Vivian had ever seen him.
“Twenty-eight years ago, your father and I were partners.”
Adrian’s eyes sharpened.
“My father hated you.”
“Eventually.”
Richard nodded toward the photograph.
“But not then.”
Marcus Dane had been the fourth partner.
Together, the three men had controlled a shipping company that moved legitimate cargo through Chicago.
Until Marcus discovered that legitimate cargo wasn’t profitable enough.
“He started using our routes for things we never agreed to,” Richard said.
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“My father found out.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He tried to remove Marcus.”
Richard rubbed his face.
“Three weeks later, your father was dead.”
Adrian became motionless.
The official story had always been simple: Anthony Cole had died in a car accident.
Vivian looked at her father.
“You think Marcus killed him?”
“I know he did.”
“Proof?” Tommy asked.
Richard looked at him.
“I had it.”
“Had?”
“I copied the shipping ledgers. Payments, dates, companies. Everything.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Where are they?”
“Gone.”
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“You’d better choose your next sentence carefully.”
Richard met his eyes.
“I gave them to Vivian’s mother.”
Vivian’s anger faltered.
“Mom?”
“She was the only person Marcus wouldn’t suspect.”
Her mother had died when Vivian was sixteen.
A sudden aneurysm, according to every doctor who had treated her.
Vivian sat slowly.
“Did she know what they were?”
“Yes.”
“Where did she put them?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian asked, “Then why arrange this marriage?”
Richard’s eyes moved to Vivian.
“Because Marcus came back six months ago.”
Vivian understood.
“The same time you suddenly developed an eight-million-dollar debt.”
Richard nodded.
“He knew the ledgers still existed. He thought I had them. When I refused to tell him where they were, he began buying my debts. Every loan. Every property.”
“You gambled away half of those properties yourself.”
“I know.”
“At least we agree on something.”
Richard lowered his head.
“I thought if Vivian became Adrian Cole’s wife, Marcus wouldn’t touch her.”
Vivian stood.
“So instead of telling me any of this, you lied.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“No. You were trying to control the outcome because that’s what you always do.”
“Vivian—”
“You could have told me.”
“And would you have married him?”
She looked at Adrian.
“No.”
“Exactly.”
Her father’s answer hurt because it was true.
Adrian spoke.
“She didn’t owe me anything.”
Richard frowned.
Adrian continued.
“The debt agreement was with you. The marriage was your proposal.”
Vivian turned sharply.
“What?”
Richard looked away.
Adrian’s face was unreadable.
“I agreed because the marriage benefited both families.”
“You let me believe you demanded it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because correcting you would have required explaining why I said yes.”
Vivian stepped closer.
“Try me.”
Adrian glanced at Tommy.
“Give us a minute.”
Tommy took Richard into the hallway.
The door closed.
Vivian folded her arms.
“Well?”
Adrian loosened his tie.
“My organization has been unstable since my uncle died. Several people believed I needed a political marriage.”
“So you chose the bankrupt gambler’s daughter?”
“I chose you.”
“Why?”
“I’d seen you before.”
Vivian blinked.
“Where?”
“A charity hearing two years ago. Your father was accused of misusing foundation money.”
“He was innocent that time.”
“I know. You proved it.”
“You were there?”
“In the back.”
Vivian remembered the hearing.
She had dismantled the accountant’s testimony by noticing three invoices used the wrong date format.
“You remembered me?”
“Yes.”
“That’s your explanation?”
“No.”
“Then finish.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“I knew if I ever married, I needed someone who wouldn’t become frightened every time a powerful man entered the room.”
Vivian stared at him.
“That may be the least romantic proposal in human history.”
“It wasn’t a proposal.”
“No. Those generally involve asking.”
For once, Adrian had no immediate response.
Vivian turned toward the door.
He caught her wrist gently.
She looked down.
Adrian released her immediately.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked back at him.
“For grabbing me?”
“For not asking.”
That surprised her more.
Before she could answer, Tommy opened the door.
“We found something.”
He placed a small object on the desk.
A silver key.
“Where?”
“Inside Richard’s coat.”
Vivian’s father appeared behind him.
“I was going to give it to her tonight.”
Vivian picked it up.
“What does it open?”
Richard answered.
“Your mother’s safe-deposit box.”
Adrian looked at him.
“You said you didn’t know where the ledgers were.”
“I don’t.”
Richard pointed at the key.
“But if Margaret wanted Vivian to find something after she was gone, that’s where she would have put the first clue.”
Tommy’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Adrian asked.
Tommy lowered the phone.
“Marcus Dane just left the reception.”
Vivian looked toward the office window.
“Then he knows we’re talking.”
Adrian reached for his jacket.
“We’re going to the bank.”
Richard shook his head.
“It’s midnight.”
Adrian looked at him.
“I own the building.”
Vivian raised an eyebrow.
“Of course you do.”
They reached the door.
Then Vivian stopped.
“Adrian.”
He turned.
“If Marcus has waited twenty-eight years for whatever is in that box, he’ll know we’re going there.”
“Yes.”
“And we’re going anyway?”
“Yes.”
Vivian exhaled.
“My childhood really did prepare me for you.”
This time Adrian actually smiled.
Then Tommy’s phone buzzed again.
He read the message.
The smile disappeared.
“Too late.”
“What happened?” Vivian asked.
Tommy showed them the screen.
The bank’s silent alarm had just activated.
May you like
Someone was already inside.
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