CHAPTER 4 ā The Woman Behind the Curtain
The courtroom emptied.
But no one went home.
Every news channel interrupted its programming.
MARTIN ELLIS WAS READY TO TALK.
When the former senior editor entered under federal protection, he looked nothing like the polished executive readers remembered.
His expensive suits were gone.
Dark circles hung beneath bloodshot eyes.
He looked like a man who hadn't slept in months.
Robert Langford stared at him.
"You destroyed your career for money?"
Martin shook his head.
"I destroyed it because I was afraid."
The courtroom fell silent.
The prosecutor leaned forward.
"Afraid of whom?"
Martin slowly looked toward the back of the room.
Then pointed.
Not at Cassandra.
Past her.
Toward the VIP gallery.
A woman wearing a navy business suit stood beside two attorneys.
She had remained silent throughout the trial.
Few people recognized her.
Robert did.
His face turned pale.
"No..."
The woman removed her sunglasses.
"I'm afraid it's time everyone knew the truth."
Gasps echoed through the courtroom.
It was Evelyn Grantā
the powerful vice president of Langford Publishing and Robert's business partner for nearly twenty years.
She smiled calmly.
"I suppose Martin finally found his conscience."
Robert couldn't believe it.
"You?"
Evelyn folded her arms.
"I built this company while you chased literary dreams."
Martin closed his eyes.
"Jane's manuscript arrived on my desk first."
"I wanted to publish it honestly."
"But Evelyn had another idea."
Five years earlier...
Evelyn had read Jane's manuscript overnight.
At sunrise she called Martin into her office.
"Unknown writers don't sell."
Martin disagreed.
"This one will."
She slid a financial report across the desk.
"The company is losing money."
"We don't need a genius."
"We need a celebrity."
Three weeks later...
She introduced Martin to Cassandra Vale.
The deal was simple.
Jane would disappear.
Cassandra would become the face.
The company would become richer than ever.
Martin received millions.
Cassandra received fame.
Evelyn controlled everything.
Only Jane lost.
Back in court, Evelyn shrugged.
"Business isn't fair."
Jane quietly stood.
"My mother used to say the same thing."
Everyone looked at her.
"But she always finished the sentence."
Jane smiled sadly.
"'Business isn't fair... unless good people make it fair.'"
For the first time...
Several employees from Langford Publishing stood up.
One by one.
Editors.
Designers.
Proofreaders.
Marketing assistants.
Each admitted they had noticed strange inconsistencies over the years.
Every time Jane secretly mailed corrections...
Evelyn ordered them destroyed.
Every time readers asked why Cassandra never wrote drafts by hand...
Evelyn changed the subject.
May you like
The wall of lies...
Was beginning to crack.
