Legacy in Dispute

7589 words

Claire’s heels clicked against the polished marble of the Manhattan law firm’s lobby, the sound swallowed by the hum of early morning activity—phones trilling, elevator doors hissing, the sharp scent of espresso cutting through the sterile air. She adjusted the strap of her leather briefcase, her fingers brushing the worn edge where she’d carried it through a decade of boardroom battles. Her jaw was tight, her gaze fixed on the gleaming brass numbers above the elevator bank. She’d left Oliver and Phoebe behind at the hotel with half a lie about a client meeting. They didn’t need to know she was here, not yet. Not until she had something concrete on Charlotte West. The elevator dinged, doors sliding open with a mechanical sigh. She stepped in, the mirrored walls throwing back her reflection—pale skin under the harsh fluorescent light, dark circles carved beneath her eyes, her tailored navy blazer a little too stiff on her frame. She hadn’t slept more than three hours since they’d confronted Charlotte yesterday. The ledger, with its damning entries to C.W. Holdings, sat heavy in her bag, a silent accusation. She’d spent the night cross-referencing dates and amounts on her laptop, the glow of the screen burning her retinas while the numbers spun in her head. Payments stretching back fifteen years. Millions. And Charlotte’s initials—or...