Chapter 328
Morning light caught dust mot
dancing over Adam’s desk. He flick through reports, yesterday’s revelations still burning in his
mind. Tommy’s confession. Those recordings. Samantha’s voice, cold and clear, ordering the hit on Irene.
Thomas appeared in the doorway, knocking once. “Wright’s at the gate. Says he’s not leaving until you see him.”
Adam didn’t even look up. “No.”
“He’s practically begging. Says it’s about his daughter and-”
“No.” Adam’s voice stayed perfectly level while his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “Get Tommy’s statement and those recordings to the police. Today.”
Thomas crossed his arms, hesitating. “You know this will blow up with the Wright family.”
Adam finally looked up, eyes sharp as cut glass. “Someone tried to hurt Irene. End of discussion.”
A beat of silence stretched between them. Thomas nodded, the message crystal clear.
“On it.” He turned, then glanced back. “Security says Wright’s been pacing circles around his car for twenty minutes. Looks like he might throw up.”
“Sounds like a him problem.” Adam went back to his tablet, mind already moving to the next task.
They caught glimpses of Wright on the security feed when the news hit. The color drained from his face like someone had pulled a plug. His phone lit up–Samantha, no doubt–but he just stared at the screen, frozen. When he finally climbed back into his car, he moved like a man who’d aged a decade in minutes.
Across town, Samantha’s fingers trembled as she tugged at her blouse collar. Police cruisers parked outside had the staff trading whispers behind cupped hands. She breathed deep, forcing her face into that practiced mask–the one that said Silver City royalty couldn’t be bothered with trivial matters.
“Miss Wright,” the officer’s voice was flat as day–old champagne. “Were investigating threats made against Dr. Sterling. We need you to come answer some questions.”
She tipped her chin up, mentally dusting off every lesson from Swiss finishing school. “There’s been a mistake, Officer. The doctor and I barely know each other. Why would I possibly-”
“We have evidence.” He cut her off, sliding a folder open. “Voice recordings. Payment trails. Text messages.”
Her eyes snagged on Tommy’s name, bolded on one of the papers. Something inside her brain short–circuited.
“No!” The society mask shattered in an instant. “I didn’t–he can’t- she stumbled backward, sending a vase crashing to pieces.
“Don’t touch me! Get out of my house!”
She made a wild dash for the stairs, but an officer stepped into her path. Reality slapped her hard as they started reading rights. This wasn’t a bad dream. This was happening–to her, Samantha Wright.
“Mom!” Her shriek bounced off the walls, mascara rivers flooding her cheeks. “Call Dad NOW! Adam can’t DO this to me! He CAN’T!”
Her mother froze in the foyer, hand clamped over her mouth, watching her perfectly groomed daughter morph into something unrecognizable. As the police car disappeared down the driveway, Mrs. Wright’s eyes rolled back, her body crumpling to the floor like a marionette with cut strings.
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Chapter 328
The sun climbed higher over Silver City as Victor burst through Wright’s doors without knocking. Staff scattered as he thundered down the hallway, his footsteps like hammer blows.
Wright barely looked up, his eyes bloodshot and sunken. Three hours had carved new lines into his face.
“What the actual hell?” Victor slammed the door. “Everyone from the country club to the coffee shop is talking about Samantha getting hauled off by cops!”
Wright’s fingers drummed nervously on his desk. “Samantha did something stupid. Adam found out.” His voice broke. “All because she couldn’t stand seeing him with that Sterling woman…”
“She hired a thug to go after a doctor?” Victor’s lip curled “That’s the daughter you’re so proud of? Sending goons because she got rejected?”
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