Damian smirked, rolling his eyes in mock impatience, then thanked Julian and Sapphire for their gift—a hoodie from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“Am I invited to the summer wedding?” I teased Julian as Sapphire admired the diamond flashing on her finger. In true Julian style, he’d flown her to New York and dropped to one knee at the Temple of Dendur inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Classic, over-the-top, and unforgettable.
“You’re my best man,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. He was hopelessly in love with Sapphire, who leaned in and kissed his cheek.
“Can I come to the bachelor party?” Damian piped up. “I’m a teen now.”
“No.” Vera and I shut him down in unison.
“You’re way too young. Absolutely not, son.” I shot him a scowl.
“C’mon, Dad. Some of my friends already have girlfriends,” he protested.
“Are you old enough to go to college and earn a living?” Vera countered.
“Nope.”
“There’s your answer.”
“Alright, Mom,” he muttered, sulking just enough to make her laugh.
Saph grinned at Vera, who gave a knowing nod as if they were sharing some secret code.
Speaking of secrets, Bianca’s team tracked down the journalist Saira used to smear Vera’s name. Vera wasted no time in filing a defamation suit against the reporter and the newspaper. She had help from Bianca, who used her connections with the national journalists’ alliance. Both the journalist and editor were expelled, disgraced, and forced to issue a public apology.
Erin’s fate was sealed. She’d face trial for murdering Holly, attempting to kill Vera, and injuring me. Soon, she’d join Saira behind bars. Oliver filed for divorce after learning Erin had beenslipping laxatives into his food and drinks. He called me this morning, wished me a Merry Christmas. It was the first time in years our voices hadn’t bristled with tension.
“I was wrong about Vera,” he admitted. “She’s the kind of woman I should have married.”
“You’ll meet a woman who teaches you what real love feels like,” I told him. “How’s Camilla?”
“She’s wonderful. We spent Christmas with Mom and Dad today,” he said, his voice softening. “It was quiet this year, but it felt good. Camilla lit up the whole room. We’ll all come by tomorrow morning.”
“Wonderful. I look forward to it.”
“Scotty?”
“Yeah?”
“Camilla said her first word this morning.”
“Yeah, is that so?”
“She said, ‘Daddy.’ I never thought...”
“Those words are fitting, Ollie. You’re a great dad. Promise me you’ll always love her, will you?”
“She’s loved, Scotty. We’ll talk tomorrow. Goodbye.”
“Bye, Ollie.”
I wondered, what tipped Erin over the edge? Was it insanity, vanity, or stupidity? Perhaps it was all three. For all her charm, Erin was a compulsive liar with delusions of grandeur through to her soul’s core. She was evil.
As for Saira, I requested that the correctional facility keep a close eye on her. Even from behind bars, she was a master puppeteer who could control people and drive them mad to commit the most heinous crimes. The Quinn empire, comprising big tech, real estate, and oil services, underwent a change of guard; she was no longer on the board of directors. I stacked it with my people over the past twelve months. The finalreplacement for her seat was already in motion—a reclusive expatriate based in Tokyo.
On paper, his name was F. Lazarus. He’d done a phenomenal job expanding one of my projects in Japan, loyal, discreet, and efficient. With him in place, I held the keys to Lester Harbor.
Then came the call. A private investigator’s voice delivered the kind of revelation that knocks the ground out from under you. When the line went dead, I sat frozen, staring at the wall as the weight of the news pressed in.
