Chapter 5 - The Price of Loyalty
The investigation lasted two months.
Fraud.
Shell companies.
Bribery.
Corporate theft.
Enough evidence to bury Marcus and Bellini without Vincent lifting a finger.
Federal investigators became involved.
Vincent hated every second.
“They've been in my building for six hours.”
“They have warrants.”
“I dislike warrants.”
“I don't think they're designed for your enjoyment.”
He glared at me.
Adrian laughed from the sofa.
Vincent pointed toward the door.
“Both of you. Out.”
We left.
In the hallway, Adrian looked at me.
“Dinner.”
“What?”
“Tonight.”
“Business?”
“No.”
“With security?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Your father?”
“Absolutely not.”
The elevator opened.
I stepped inside.
“Okay.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
“I said okay.”
“I heard you. I just wasn't prepared.”
“Elevator's leaving.”
He jumped inside.
Dinner became another dinner.
Then coffee.
Then walks between hospital appointments.
Adrian never tried to rescue me.
That mattered.
When Mom needed something, he asked before helping.
When I said no, he accepted it.
Three months after the coffee cup incident, my contract ended.
Vincent called me into his office.
A new contract waited on his desk.
I didn't open it.
“No.”
He frowned.
“You haven't read it.”
“Don't need to.”
“Salary doubled.”
“No.”
“Tripled.”
“No.”
“Company car.”
“No.”
“Apartment?”
“Vincent.”
He leaned back.
“What?”
“My mother is improving. I don't need the money anymore.”
His expression changed.
“So you're leaving.”
“I didn't say that.”
“You just refused everything.”
“I refuse working for you.”
He frowned.
“That's leaving.”
“I want to work with you.”
Silence.
Adrian, standing by the window, turned.
I continued.
“You need an independent compliance office. Someone who reports to the board, not you.”
Vincent looked offended.
“You want me to pay you to tell me no without having the authority to fire you?”
“Exactly.”
“That is the worst deal I've ever heard.”
Adrian laughed.
Vincent stared at the contract.
Then pushed it away.
“Fine.”
I smiled.
“One more condition.”
“Of course.”
“Employee health insurance gets expanded.”
Vincent's face tightened.
“To what?”
“No arbitrary treatment caps for serious illnesses. Better family coverage. Transparent appeals.”
“You've calculated the cost?”
I slid a folder onto his desk.
His eyebrows rose.
“You prepared this already?”
“Yesterday.”
He opened it.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Finally he looked up.
“You expected me to agree?”
“No.”
“Then why prepare it?”
“Because I expected to argue until you did.”
For the first time since I'd known him, Vincent laughed loudly.
“Adrian.”
“Yes?”
“Marry her.”
I nearly choked.
Adrian turned red.
“Father.”
“What? You clearly want to.”
I stared at Adrian.
He stared at Vincent.
Then at me.
“Can we pretend he didn't say that?”
“No,” I said.
Adrian looked worried.
Then I smiled.
“But maybe someday you can ask me yourself.”
Vincent leaned back triumphantly.
“I knew it.”
“Don't ruin it,” Adrian and I said together.
Vincent's smile disappeared.
“You two are becoming unbearable.”
Then his office phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?”
Adrian straightened.
Vincent slowly stood.
“Which hospital?”
My stomach dropped.
He hung up.
“What happened?”
Vincent looked at Adrian.
Then me.
“My grandson.”
I had never heard him sound afraid before.
May you like
“He can't breathe.”
---
