Chapter 13 - The Recording
The recording was short.
Short enough to be devastating.
Lauren’s voice said, “If Maya shows up, keep her out of the meeting. Ethan is the relationship that matters.”
Delaney answered, “And if she won’t stay out?”
A pause.
Then Lauren laughed.
“She’s always been easy to embarrass.”
No one in the compliance room spoke.
Lauren’s face turned gray.
“That was taken out of context.”
Counsel asked, “What context makes it acceptable?”
Lauren looked trapped.
For the first time, I felt no satisfaction.
Only exhaustion.
The recording had been supplied by Delaney’s former assistant after the assistant learned his credentials were tied to altered records.
Lauren admitted the conversation was real but denied authorizing the spoofed email, break-in, or stolen documents.
That distinction mattered.
Cruelty wasn’t proof of every other allegation.
I said so.
Charles looked at me in surprise.
“You’re defending her?” Ethan asked later.
“No. I’m defending the truth.”
If Lauren had poured wine on me, taken credit from staff, and tried to sideline me from a meeting, she should answer for those things.
If Delaney committed other acts without her knowledge, those belonged to him.
I had spent too much of my life being reduced to whatever story someone powerful wanted to tell.
I wasn’t going to do that to someone else, even Lauren.
That night, she called me.
I almost didn’t answer.
“Maya,” she said.
Her voice sounded smaller than I remembered.
“You ruined me.”
“No.”
“You could’ve let it go.”
“You mean the wine?”
“All of it.”
I closed my eyes.
“You’re still doing it.”
“Doing what?”
“Making your choices someone else’s responsibility.”
She breathed hard into the phone.
Then she said something I didn’t expect.
“Fine. You want the truth? Mark has the stolen folder.”
May you like
I sat up.
“And I know where he’s taking it.”
