Chapter 17: Collateral Damage
Audrey
I refused to cower in my own home. For four years, Madison Carter had been a ghost haunting the corners of my mind, a symbol of my failure and my broken heart. But seeing her in the flesh, standing in my lobby and threatening my husband, the fear evaporated.
She was just a bitter, greedy woman. And she was standing in my territory.
"Audrey," Julian warned softly, putting a hand out to stop me, but I brushed past him.
Madison’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before her lips curled into a condescending smirk. "Audrey. Look at you. Playing the rustic little innkeeper. It's quite a step down from the penthouse, isn't it?"
"It’s a step up from being a desperate mistress begging for scraps," I replied smoothly, my voice echoing in the quiet lobby.
Julian physically stiffened beside me, clearly shocked by my venom, but I didn't break eye contact with Madison.
Her face flushed an ugly shade of crimson. "You think you've won because he came crawling back? He doesn't love you. He's only here to save his company from the PR nightmare I created."
"I don't care why he's here," I lied flawlessly, taking a slow, deliberate step toward her. "What I care about is that you are standing in my hotel, threatening my family with forged documents. So here is what is going to happen, Madison."
I reached over to the reception desk and picked up the heavy brass bell.
"You are going to take your little folder, and you are going to walk out that front door. Because Julian might have lawyers who will drag this out in court, but I am a local business owner who knows the county sheriff personally. If you aren't off my property in thirty seconds, I am having you arrested for criminal extortion. And unlike Julian's corporate lawyers, I will make sure you spend tonight in a holding cell."
Madison opened her mouth to argue, her confidence finally fracturing. "You wouldn't dare. This file—"
"Is a desperate bluff," Julian interjected, moving to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me. The united front he had proposed upstairs was already forming. "I built Vanguard myself, Madison. Every penny is accounted for. Give it to the SEC. Give it to the press. When they find out it's forged, you won't just face civil suits; you'll face federal prison."
Madison looked between the two of us. She realized she had walked into a trap of her own making. The narrative of the victimized assistant was crumbling before her eyes.
"This isn't over," she spat, her voice shaking with rage. She shoved the manila folder into her designer bag. "You two deserve each other."
She turned on her heel and marched toward the heavy oak doors. But just as she reached for the handle, she paused, glancing back over her shoulder with a sickeningly sweet smile.
"By the way, Audrey," Madison said, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I saw the little toys on the front porch before the police arrived. Twin fire trucks. How interesting. Does the press know about the children yet?"
The world stopped spinning.
Before I could react, Julian lunged. He crossed the lobby in three massive strides, grabbing the heavy brass door handle and yanking the door open. He didn't touch her, but the sheer, primal fury radiating from him made Madison stumble backward onto the porch.
"If you ever mention them again," Julian whispered, a promise of absolute destruction, "I will ensure you never see the light of day. Run, Madison."
She scrambled down the wooden steps, her composure entirely shattered, and practically sprinted toward a silver car parked near the treeline.
May you like
Julian slammed the door shut and locked it. He leaned his head against the wood, taking heavy, ragged breaths.
I stood frozen in the lobby, my heart hammering against my ribs. She knew. The viper had seen the nest.
