Chapter 6 - The Truth Sullivan Couldn't Buy
Victor Sullivan was not at the address Diane provided.
But his computer was.
So were three phones, forged invoices, bank records, and enough evidence to expose the entire scheme.
By sunrise, Sullivan’s network had collapsed.
He had stolen from Shaw Maritime, sold confidential information, falsified corporate records, manipulated vendors, and secretly partnered with Vincent Moreau.
But Victor himself had disappeared.
Clara spent the morning with auditors and attorneys.
At 11:32 a.m., her phone rang.
Her mother.
“Mom?”
“Honey, there’s a man here.”
Clara stood so fast her chair fell backward.
“What man?”
“He says his name is Victor.”
Everything inside Clara stopped.
“Mom, get away from him.”
“He seems upset.”
“Mom.”
Clara’s voice shook.
“Go into the bedroom. Lock the door.”
Then another voice came through the phone.
“Hello, Clara.”
Sullivan.
Declan entered the office and saw her face.
She mouthed:
My mother.
His expression became lethal.
Sullivan spoke.
“You’ve been busy.”
“If you touch her—”
“I’m not going to hurt your mother.”
“Then leave.”
“I want the ledger.”
Clara looked at Declan.
He shook his head.
“No,” she said.
Sullivan laughed.
“You’ve become brave sitting beside Shaw.”
“No. I became tired of men like you thinking quiet women are weak.”
Silence.
“Bring the ledger to Aurora.”
Declan took the phone.
“Sullivan.”
Victor went silent.
“You wanted my attention,” Declan said. “You have it.”
“This doesn’t concern you.”
“You walked into Clara’s mother’s house. Everything about that concerns me.”
“I want the ledger.”
“You can have me instead.”
Clara grabbed Declan’s sleeve.
He looked at her.
Sullivan hesitated.
“Come alone.”
The call ended.
“No,” Clara said immediately.
Declan was already moving.
“Marcus.”
“No.”
“Clara.”
“You’re not walking into this alone.”
“I’m ending it.”
“With your lawyers and the police.”
Declan stopped.
The old world he came from offered different solutions.
Clara knew that.
But this time she held his gaze.
“You want to protect the company?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t become the evidence that destroys it.”
Marcus quietly nodded.
“She’s right.”
Declan glared at him.
Marcus shrugged.
“She usually is.”
Twenty-five minutes later, Sullivan walked out of Clara’s mother’s bungalow and found the street surrounded—not by Declan’s men, but by federal investigators and Chicago-area law enforcement already working from the financial evidence Shaw Maritime’s attorneys had turned over.
Clara’s mother came out unharmed.
Sullivan was taken into custody.
Declan never touched him.
As Sullivan was led past, he looked at Clara.
“This is your fault.”
Clara stepped forward.
“No.”
Sullivan stopped.
“You made eleven million dollars disappear. You betrayed your company. You threatened my family.”
She looked him directly in the eyes.
“I just noticed the numbers.”
Declan stood beside her.
Sullivan looked at him.
“All this because of your secretary?”
Declan’s expression became almost amused.
“No.”
He looked at Clara.
“All this because you were stupid enough to think she was only my secretary.”
Sullivan was taken away.
Clara’s mother walked over.
She looked at Declan.
“You’re the boss?”
Declan, who intimidated politicians and businessmen without trying, seemed momentarily unsure.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You sent those terrible newspaper readers?”
Clara covered her face.
“Mom.”
Declan cleared his throat.
“Yes.”
Her mother examined him.
“Next time send someone who knows how to pretend.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And my daughter needs sleep.”
“I agree.”
“And a raise.”
Clara stared.
“Mom.”
Declan nodded solemnly.
“I strongly agree.”
Her mother smiled.
“I like him.”
Clara groaned.
Declan’s mouth twitched.
“I like her too.”
Later, beside his car, Clara stopped him.
“What happens now?”
“Sullivan faces the consequences. Richard leaves the company. Every compromised system gets rebuilt.”
“And Moreau?”
“The evidence connecting him goes to the attorneys and authorities.”
Clara studied him.
“You’re doing this legally.”
“Yes.”
“Because I asked?”
Declan looked at her.
“Because you were right.”
Then he added,
“And because I’m tired of building an empire I can’t explain to the only woman whose opinion I actually care about.”
Clara’s heart skipped.
“Declan…”
“I know.”
He stepped back.
“No pressure. No orders. Not this time.”
For once, he gave her the choice.
May you like
Clara appreciated that more than he could know.
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