Chapter 13 - RICHARD’S OFFER
Elena did not go alone.
She also did not tell Richard that.
The meeting took place in a private dining room at a Midtown hotel.
Elena entered first.
Thomas’s security team remained nearby.
Two detectives waited in an adjoining service corridor.
Richard Cole was already seated.
He looked nothing like Eleanor.
Small.
Gray-haired.
Almost forgettable.
That made him more unsettling.
“You brought protection.”
Elena sat opposite him.
“Of course.”
Richard smiled.
“Good.”
He pushed a folder across the table.
“Your father would approve.”
Elena did not touch it.
“What do you want?”
“To survive my sister.”
“You expect me to believe you are the victim?”
“No.”
Richard folded his hands.
“I am simply the first person in this family willing to admit I am not.”
Elena studied him.
Richard explained that Eleanor had approached him after Michael’s death.
She wanted Northstar to rebuild its debt position against Vance Holdings.
Richard agreed because he stood to make millions.
Victoria later joined the scheme.
But over the past six months, Eleanor had become reckless.
“She stopped following the plan.”
“What changed?”
“You.”
Elena frowned.
Richard continued.
“Arthur trusted you.”
“Julian listened to you.”
“And then Thomas Sterling started purchasing Vance debt.”
“My sister became convinced the Sterlings would eventually control everything.”
“So she framed me.”
“She decided fear would move faster than finance.”
Elena looked at the folder.
“What is inside?”
“Records.”
“Messages.”
“Payment instructions.”
“Enough to destroy Northstar Meridian.”
“Why give it to me?”
Richard smiled faintly.
“Because Eleanor intends to blame everything on me.”
“And you intend to blame everything on her.”
“Precisely.”
At least he was honest about that.
Elena opened the folder.
The first page contained printed messages between Eleanor and Richard.
One line stood out.
ELENA MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE THE QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING.
Another read.
IF JULIAN WILL NOT CHOOSE US, WE WILL MAKE THE CHOICE FOR HIM.
Elena felt cold.
She looked up.
“What does removed mean?”
Richard shook his head.
“Not physical harm.”
“She wanted you out of the marriage.”
“She believed divorce would isolate Julian.”
Elena exhaled slowly.
Richard leaned forward.
“You were never the target because you were a Sterling.”
“You became the target because Julian changed around you.”
Elena almost laughed.
“He did not change enough.”
Richard’s expression softened slightly.
“No.”
“Apparently not.”
Then he gave her one final piece of information.
“Eleanor has scheduled an emergency Vance board meeting tomorrow morning.”
Elena frowned.
“She cannot.”
“She already has.”
“Why?”
Richard stood.
“To remove Arthur.”
May you like
He buttoned his jacket.
“And if she succeeds, everything we discussed becomes much harder to stop.”
