Chapter 10 - The Winterborne Ledger
Genevieve stopped in the middle of the street.
Gideon saw her face.
“What?”
She showed him.
His expression turned lethal.
“Location?”
Rosalind traced the transmission.
“Moving.”
A vehicle.
Arthur called.
“Genevieve, Malcolm took Eleanor.”
“I know.”
“I can find him.”
“How?”
Arthur hesitated.
“Because Malcolm still thinks I'm willing to make a deal.”
Genevieve closed her eyes.
Of course.
Another secret.
“What deal?”
“The ledger for your mother.”
Gideon shook his head.
“No.”
Arthur snapped, “She's my wife.”
“And Genevieve is your daughter.”
“I know that!”
Genevieve interrupted.
“Enough.”
Both men stopped.
She had spent the night being protected, manipulated, lied to, and used as leverage.
She was finished.
“Malcolm wants the ledger. Victoria wants the network. Elias wanted both. Fine.”
She held up the memory card.
“Let's give everyone what they want.”
Gideon understood first.
“You want to publish it.”
“All of it.”
“That exposes Winterborne.”
“Yes.”
“Vale too.”
“Yes.”
Arthur protested.
“Genevieve—”
She looked at him.
“If our families survive only because the truth stays buried, they don't deserve to survive.”
Silence.
Gideon smiled.
“Now you're flirting.”
She almost smiled back.
They created copies.
Sent them to journalists.
Federal investigators.
International financial authorities.
Trusted attorneys.
But scheduled delivery for 9:01.
One minute after the marriage deadline.
Leverage.
Then Genevieve called Malcolm.
“I have the ledger.”
“Good girl.”
“Don't call me that.”
Malcolm laughed.
“Pier Nine. Bring Gideon.”
“Why?”
“Because Victoria was never the only Vale who needed removing.”
Gideon's face remained calm.
Genevieve said, “Twenty minutes.”
They went.
At Pier Nine, Eleanor sat inside a glass harbor office.
Malcolm stood beside her.
Explosives surrounded the building.
Genevieve carried the ledger.
Gideon walked unarmed.
Malcolm opened the door.
“Throw it.”
Genevieve did.
He caught it.
“Release her.”
Malcolm opened Eleanor's restraints.
She ran toward Genevieve.
Halfway there, Malcolm raised his gun.
Gideon moved.
The shot hit him.
Genevieve screamed.
Gideon fell.
Eleanor reached him.
Malcolm ran toward a speedboat.
Rosalind's team emerged.
Gunfire followed.
The boat accelerated.
Then stopped.
Arthur stood aboard it.
He had disabled the engine.
Malcolm stared at his brother.
“You.”
Arthur punched him.
Both men fell.
Police boats surrounded them.
Malcolm was arrested.
Genevieve barely noticed.
She was kneeling beside Gideon.
Blood covered her hands.
“Stay awake.”
His eyes opened.
“Did you file?”
“What?”
“The annulment.”
“You're asking me that now?”
“Deadline.”
She looked at the clock.
8:51.
Nine minutes.
The harbor master stood nearby.
Waiting.
Gideon struggled to breathe.
“Do it.”
Genevieve stared at him.
“If I annul, your mother temporarily gains control.”
“She is under arrest.”
“Her proxies aren't.”
“Then we'll fight them.”
“And if I don't?”
“The marriage registers.”
“And the Circle gains access.”
“Not anymore. We exposed it.”
Genevieve realized he was right.
The old strategic reason for annulment had changed.
Now the decision was only hers.
Stay married to a man who had lied to protect her.
Or walk away.
Gideon reached weakly for her hand.
“Choose yourself.”
She looked at him.
Then at the annulment papers.
8:56.
Genevieve rose.
May you like
She walked toward the harbor master.
And at 8:59, with seconds remaining, she placed the papers on his desk.
