Chapter 4 - The Sinclair Proposal
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Dela stepped out from behind the curtain, her chin held high despite the wild pounding in her chest. She kept her hands visible, resting them lightly against her stomach.
“How long have you known?” she asked, her voice steady and clear.
Gus walked around his desk, setting his silver cufflinks on the leather blotter. He looked at her in the dim light, taking in her exhausted posture, her oversized uniform, and the fierce intelligence burning in her eyes.
“Since the day you applied for the job,” Gus replied calmly. “Delilah Hawthorne. Graduated first in her class at Northwestern Law. Recruited by three top corporate defense firms in the city. Then vanished from the legal world two years ago after her husband’s death.”
Dela swallowed hard. “If you knew who I was, why did you hire me?”
“Because a woman with your intellect doesn't take a minimum-wage waitress job at the Meridian unless she’s hunting for something,” Gus said, leaning back against his desk and folding his arms. “And I wanted to see what you were willing to sacrifice to find it.”
“I’m looking for the truth about Elias,” Dela said fiercely. “And your prospective father-in-law, Victor Sinclair, killed him.”
Gus’s expression didn't change, but his dark eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s a heavy accusation to make without evidence, Counselor.”
“The evidence is in your filing cabinet,” Dela retorted, pointing toward the desk. “Sinclair Maritime is insolvent. Victor Sinclair has been laundering money through Dock 44 for five years. Elias found the ledger, and three days later he died. Now Victor is trying to dump his bankrupt empire onto you through this forty-million-dollar merger.”
Gus stood up slowly, walking toward her until he was standing just three feet away. His tall frame loomed over her, but there was no threat in his posture—only a cold, calculating presence.
“I know about the hidden liabilities,” Gus disclosed quietly.
Dela blinked, caught off guard. “You know?”
“I’ve known for three months,” Gus said. “Victor Sinclair thinks he’s playing a game with me. He thinks using his daughter to secure this marriage gives him leverage over my holdings.”
“Then why go through with the merger?” Dela asked. “Why marry Margot?”
“Because next Thursday night, at the annual Sinclair Gala on the fortieth floor, Victor is bringing thirty-two of the most powerful investors in the Midwest to watch us sign the final contract,” Gus explained, his voice laced with dangerous authority. “He thinks he’s trapping me into taking his debt. He doesn't realize he’s walking into his own execution.”
Gus looked down at Dela’s worn black shoes, where the silver tape showed clearly beneath the hem of her trousers.
“You need six thousand dollars for your hospital deposit,” Gus stated flatly.
May you like
Dela stiffened. “I don't accept charity.”
“It’s not charity,” Gus countered. “It’s a retainer. I need a brilliant attorney who knows Sinclair’s books inside and out to work the floor next Thursday night. You serve the drinks, you watch Victor’s legal team, and when the time comes... you help me pull the trigger.”
