Chapter 14 - VANESSA'S LAST BARGAIN
Vanessa chose the unfinished top floor of Hale Tower for the exchange.
Wind tore through the open steel frame sixty stories above Chicago.
Claire came alone—but Grace tracked her phone from two blocks away.
Vanessa stood near the edge, holding a flash drive and the missing ledger page.
"You always thought I wanted Daniel," Vanessa said.
"You did."
"I wanted what came with him. Access. Money. A place beside Thomas."
Claire looked at the flash drive. "Is that my mother's recording?"
"It shows Samuel cutting the brake line while Thomas watches. It also shows me stealing the original file years later."
"Why keep it?"
"Insurance. Men like them never respect the women who help them."
Claire took one step closer. "Give it to me."
Vanessa laughed. "In exchange for immunity and five million dollars."
"You hit me. You helped drug me. You framed me as unstable."
"And Daniel let me. Don't make me the only villain because I'm easier to hate."
Claire hated that part of it was true.
A shadow moved behind a concrete column.
Daniel stepped out.
Vanessa's face twisted. "You led him here?"
"No," Claire said.
Daniel looked at Vanessa. "Give her the drive."
Vanessa raised a small gun. "You ruined everything."
She fired.
Daniel shoved Claire aside. The bullet struck a steel beam.
They struggled. The flash drive flew from Vanessa's hand and landed near the open edge.
Claire crawled toward it.
Vanessa kicked Daniel away and charged.
The concrete dust shifted beneath her heel.
She slipped over the edge, catching a hanging cable with both hands.
"Claire!" she screamed.
The flash drive lay inches from Claire's fingers.
May you like
Vanessa dangled below her.
Claire could save the evidence—or save the woman who had tried to destroy her.
