Chapter 288:

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Elisa knelt, turning her back on the vipers. She cupped Kayden’s face in her hands, her voice a soft, fierce whisper only for her. “You are the smartest, most wonderful girl in the world, Kayden Gilmore. Do you hear me? No one gets to tell you where you belong. No one.”

She kissed her daughter’s forehead, then stood up.

The transformation was terrifying. The loving mother vanished. Faye, the corporate assassin, stood in her place.

Her eyes, cold and lethal, swept over the three of them.

“Mrs. Gable,” she began, her voice a silken threat. “I’m sure a woman in your position is aware of the formidable reputation of the Chambers family matriarch, Germaine Chambers. You would know she values the family’s reputation, and its financial probity, above all else.”

Mrs. Gable’s face went pale. The name Germaine was a thunderclap in the small office.

“I can’t imagine what Mrs. Chambers would think,” Elisa continued smoothly, “if she were to learn that the family foundation was being used for… questionable transactions. Or if certain board members’ personal investments proved difficult to… audit.”

She let her gaze slide to Allena. “How are your venture capital returns this quarter, Ms. Mills? Are they holding up to scrutiny?”

The color drained from Allena’s face. The smug triumph vanished, replaced by a flash of pure, animal panic. She looked at August, her eyes wide with terror.

August’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle jumped. He understood the threat perfectly. She was using his own mother, his greatest fear, against him. She was threatening to expose Allena.

“Elisa,” he growled, a vein throbbing in his temple. “Don’t you dare.”

Sav𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝗎𝘳 𝘧a𝘷оr𝗂𝘵e 𝗇о𝗏𝖾𝗅𝘴 𝗈ո 𝗴а𝗹𝗻𝘰v𝗲𝗹s.сo𝗆

“Dare?” Elisa laughed, a cold, empty sound. “You stole my daughter’s future to placate your mistress, and you want to talk to me about daring?”

She turned back to the terrified principal. Her voice dropped, each word a perfectly polished stone of doom.

“I want Kayden’s admission reinstated. Now. Or my next call is to Germaine Chambers. And we can all have a long, detailed conversation about exactly where the Chambers Foundation’s money is going.”

The silence in the hallway was absolute, a dead, heavy thing.

Mrs. Gable looked like she was about to faint. Allena was gripping August’s arm, her knuckles white, her face a mask of pure terror.

August’s dark eyes were locked on Elisa. The bored arrogance was gone, replaced by a look of raw, murderous fury. He was a caged animal, and she held the key, and he hated her for it.

“August, she’s bluffing,” Allena whispered, her voice trembling. “My finances are fine, tell her…”

“Are they, Allena?” Elisa asked softly, a cruel, knowing smile playing on her lips. “Because I have it on very good authority that an audit would be… fascinating. I’m sure Germaine would agree.”

That was the final nail. August knew Allena’s portfolio was a house of cards built on risky ventures and insider tips. He knew his mother’s auditors were ruthless sharks who would smell blood in the water a mile away. If Germaine got involved, Allena would be ruined. And he would be humiliated for having been duped by her.

He was trapped. And the architect of his prison was standing right in front of him, looking at him with those cold, dead eyes.

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