Chapter 5 - THE BILLIONAIRE WHO LOST EVERYTHING
By Monday morning, Grant Ashford was accused of fraud.
By noon, federal agents entered his Manhattan headquarters.
By three, Ashford Industries stock had lost forty percent of its value.
Charles Sutton appeared on television that evening.
He looked heartbroken.
“My family is devastated by these allegations.”
Lily watched from Grant's penthouse.
“Liar.”
Grace sat on the carpet drawing purple elephants.
Grant stood near the window.
His tie was gone.
His sleeves were rolled.
For the first time, Lily saw him look tired.
Not billionaire tired.
Human tired.
Blair sat across the room.
“My father prepared this for years.”
Grant looked at her.
“You helped.”
“Yes.”
Lily expected Blair to defend herself.
She did not.
“The Hudson transfer was designed to look like Grant moved company money offshore,” Blair said. “Father controls the destination accounts through nominees.”
“Can you prove it?” Lily asked.
“No.”
Grant turned.
“Then we find someone who can.”
Blair laughed bitterly.
“My father doesn't leave witnesses.”
Lily thought of Evan.
“Yes, he does.”
Evan Mercer was in federal custody.
He wanted a deal.
Grant's attorneys arranged a meeting.
Evan refused to speak unless Lily attended.
Grant hated the idea.
Lily went anyway.
Evan sat behind reinforced glass.
“You look good,” he said.
Lily felt nothing.
That surprised her.
For years, the memory of Evan had carried pain.
Now he looked small.
“What do you know about Sutton's accounts?”
“What do I get?”
“Nothing from me.”
“Then why talk?”
“Because Charles will kill you before trial.”
His smile disappeared.
Lily leaned closer.
“You know I'm right.”
Evan looked toward the camera.
Then he whispered a name.
“Marianne Cole.”
“Who?”
“Sutton's accountant.”
“Where is she?”
“Dead, officially.”
Lily's heart accelerated.
“And unofficially?”
“Rhode Island.”
They found Marianne in a coastal town under another name.
She had records.
Thousands of pages.
Enough to prove Charles Sutton had stolen from three companies before targeting Grant.
But Charles found her too.
The night before Marianne planned to testify, her house burned.
Grant and Lily arrived while firefighters were still working.
Marianne survived.
Barely.
Her records did not.
Grant stood beside the road.
“I lost.”
Lily looked at him.
“No.”
“My board removed me this morning.”
“Then they're stupid.”
He almost smiled.
“My accounts are frozen.”
“You still have a house larger than my high school.”
“Technically, the bank may own it soon.”
“Grace will be disappointed. She likes the stairs.”
Grant looked at her.
“How are you doing that?”
“What?”
“Standing beside me as though this is normal.”
Lily thought about rent notices.
Hospital bills.
Eating cereal for dinner so Grace could have chicken.
“Losing money is frightening,” she said. “But it isn't the same as losing everything.”
Grant understood.
“You thought you lost Grace.”
“Yes.”
She stepped closer.
“You are alive. Your people are alive. We can still fight.”
“We?”
Lily realized what she had said.
Grant looked at her.
Rain began to fall.
“I don't employ you anymore,” he said.
“Technically.”
“So why are you still here?”
She should have said Grace felt safe with him.
She should have said she wanted to help expose Charles.
Instead, she told the truth.
“Because I don't want to leave.”
Grant touched her cheek.
Slowly.
Giving her time to move.
She did not.
He kissed her.
Lily had expected power.
Instead, he was careful.
The carefulness broke her.
She kissed him back.
Then Grace shouted from the car.
“Mommy kissing big man!”
Lily jumped away.
Grant closed his eyes.
Daniel, standing near the SUV, suddenly found the sky fascinating.
Lily covered her face.
Grant smiled.
It was the first real smile she had seen from him.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
The smile disappeared.
“Sir, Marianne is awake.”
“And?”
“She says the original Sutton ledger still exists.”
“Where?”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“She gave one name.”
May you like
“Whose?”
“Lily Harper.”
