Chapter 7
Bianca waited until they were alone before confronting Adrian.
Lorenzo let them think they were alone.
A surveillance team monitored the private conference room under counsel’s direction.
Bianca stood beside the table.
Her breathing was sharp now.
“You told me the recorder was already dead.”
Adrian kept his back against the window.
“It was.”
“You asked to kill it.”
“I asked about it.”
“You signed the request.”
He looked at her.
“Lower your voice.”
Bianca laughed once.
A brittle sound.
“Now you’re giving me orders?”
Adrian’s eyes hardened.
“You’re forgetting who handled the ugly part for twenty years.”
Bianca stepped closer.
“And you’re forgetting who gave you the power to.”
The alliance cracked.
Lorenzo listened from the next room.
Anthony stood beside him.
Neither spoke.
Bianca continued.
“What happened in that car?”
Adrian stared at her.
“You were there.”
“After.”
The word landed.
Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed.
After.
Bianca had not been inside the car.
Adrian had.
She arrived later.
Adrian dragged one hand across his mouth.
“Elena had a recording.”
“Of what?”
“Me.”
Bianca’s face changed.
Adrian continued.
“She got me talking.”
“About the council payments?”
“About everything.”
Bianca’s hands slowly lowered.
“You said she only had spreadsheets.”
“I lied.”
A long silence.
Then Bianca whispered:
“Why?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Because if you knew she had my voice, you would've panicked.”
Bianca’s expression hardened.
“I’m not the one who panicked.”
Adrian took one step forward.
“She threatened to play it for Lorenzo that night.”
Bianca stared.
“And?”
Adrian did not answer.
Her eyes widened.
“And?”
His voice dropped.
“I got into the car.”
Lorenzo’s hand closed around the edge of the desk.
Anthony saw it.
Adrian continued.
“I told her to give me the phone.”
“What did she do?”
“She drove.”
Bianca’s face went pale.
“That’s not what you told me.”
Adrian looked away.
For the first time, Bianca sounded frightened of him.
“What happened before I found you?”
He did not answer.
Then his phone vibrated on the table.
One message.
From an unknown number.
YOU SHOULD HAVE DESTROYED THE BACKUP TOO.
May you like
Adrian stopped breathing.
Someone else knew the recording still existed.
