Chapter 2 - The Ghost in the Boardroom
Grant’s hands shook as he gripped the edge of the conference table. “Claire... what have you done?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I replied smoothly. “You did it all seven years ago on a yacht off the coast of Amalfi.”
Vanessa stumbled back, her eyes wide with mounting horror. “Amalfi? Grant, what is she talking about? What happened in Amalfi?”
Seven years ago, Julian Ashford—Grant’s identical twin brother and the brilliant founder of Ashford Capital—had tragically perished when his luxury yacht exploded in open waters. His body was never recovered. Two months later, Grant, who had always played second fiddle as the quiet, administrative partner, stepped into the CEO seat. He expanded the empire, grew richer, and took over Julian’s life, his assets, and eventually, me.
“Julian’s boat didn’t suffer an engine failure,” I said, pulling a sleek, silver flash drive from my leather handbag and sliding it across the polished wood toward Martin Bell. “And Grant didn’t miraculously survive by staying on the dock that night.”
Grant’s face went from pale to ghostly white. He made a sudden, frantic grab for the drive, but Martin Bell knocked his hand away with a heavy legal binder.
“This drive contains the raw telemetry data from the Sea Sovereign,” I explained, keeping my gaze locked on my husband. “It proves the explosion was detonated remotely from a phone registered to Grant’s private estate. But more importantly, it proves who actually got on that boat—and who walked off.”
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Vanessa shrank back against the glass wall. “Grant... tell me she’s lying. Tell me I didn’t help a murderer.”
Grant didn’t look at her. He couldn’t. He was staring at Noah, who opened his deep blue eyes—the exact shade of eyes that hadn't been seen in the Ashford family since Julian vanished.
