Page 140 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

Heat rises beneath my collar.

Vivian cuts in before I can respond.

“Julian, listen to me. If you contact her now and discuss anything even remotely connected to this investigation, Preston will use the communication to justify expanding the review. He'll argue that she remained in contact with senior leadership while regulators were examining potential leaks or improper disclosures.”

“She didn't leak anything.”

“I didn't say she did.”

“Then stop treating her as if she did.”

Vivian's voice stays controlled.

“I'm trying to keep her from becoming collateral damage.”

That stops me.

Martin folds his hands on the table.

“If Ms. Callahan has done nothing wrong, the worst thing you can do right now is create a new communication trail that gives someone an excuse to drag her further into this.”

I look from him to Vivian.

“So I'm supposed to do nothing.”

“For now,” Vivian says.

“How long is ‘for now’?”

“I don't know.”

I laugh once, without humor.

“That seems to be everyone's favorite answer lately.”

Adrian watches me carefully.

“Julian, they're not telling you never to speak to her again.”

“No. They're telling me that calling her gives Preston ammunition.”

“Yes.”

“And not calling her makes it look like I disappeared.”

Adrian doesn't answer. He doesn't have to. That is exactly what it will look like.

I push away from the table and walk toward the windows. The city is already dark below us. Press lights still flash intermittently near the building entrance, even after a week of this. Somewhere beyond them is the rest of my life, continuing without asking whether I have time to participate in it.

Behind me, Vivian speaks more quietly.

“If anyone on that board wants to damage her credibility because it protects this company, I need as little material available to them as possible.”

I turn.

“You think they would.”

“I think scared institutions protect themselves,” Vivian says.