“What do you mean.” He looks at me, wary.
“It doesn’t have the inscription. I think it might be a fake!”
“Shh,” Caleb hushes me immediately. He looks around. “You can’t say something like that, not here.”
“But—”
“You’re mistaken.” He shuts me down, voice firm. “There’s nothing wrong with that necklace. I fetched it from our vault myself.”
I frown at him, wondering what the hell’s going on. But before I can press it any further, a tall, impeccably dressed man saunters up.
“Lovely shindig, Sterling,” he says, in a crisp English accent. “You’ve got a future as a party-planner, should you need a new direction in life.”
Caleb’s eyes turn icy. “I didn’t realize they were letting anyone in.”
“I pulled some strings. Wanted to see the big event for myself. End of an era, isn’t it?”
Caleb frowns, looking thrown, as the man turns to me and offers his hand.
“Sebastian Wolfe. Charmed, I’m sure.”
Wolf. The name suits him. There’s something predatory behind his gaze that makes me shift, uneasy. I take a half-step back, closer to Caleb. “Hi.” I say politely. “Have a lovely evening.”
“Oh, I will.” Sebastian looks around, smug. “I just wonder how these people will react when they hear the news that I’m acquiring the company.”
Caleb stares, hard. “Over my dead body.”
As smooth as can be, Sebastian takes another sip of his scotch and says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you had a say anymore. Now that you’re being kicked out for fraud and theft.”
My heart jams in my throat, making breathing impossible. Fraud and theft?
The same things that Olivia hired me to…
Oh, no. It’s not true.
Caleb glares, his usual composure slipping. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Caleb…” I try to get his attention, as I notice Olivia, in her golden gown, sweeping across the ballroom. She has an entourage of suited men in tow, and a determined smile on her face.
A smile that says that she got all the evidence she wanted.
No.
Caleb strides to meet Olivia in the middle of the floor. “What have you done?”
“Only what needed to be done.” She looks around at the curious onlookers, “Perhaps we should talk in private, away from the party, so we can avoid any unpleasantries?”
I can tell Caleb is torn, but he gives a sharp nod. He follows the group down a hallway, into a side room. I trail behind, sick to my stomach.
What does Olivia have on him? I didn’t tell her a thing, but clearly, she’s on a mission. And how does Sebastian Wolfe connect to any of this?
Away from the crowd, Caleb whirls on her. “Will someone please explain what the fuck is going on?”
“Don’t play dumb with me.” Olivia’s voice is sharp. “You know exactly what you’ve done. And now the whole world will know too, you’re nothing but a common thief.”
She produces a sheaf of papers, and places them smugly on the table.
“Copies of your dummy accounts—and the real deal. It’s all here. All the evidence that shows you’ve been moving money around. Embezzling from the company our parents built. This illegal activity means that you’re to be removed from your CEO position and seat on the board at once.”