Chapter 16
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Daniel let out a sharp, mocking laugh that echoed through the telephone receiver. He leaned closer to the glass, his eyes narrowing as he tried to find the frightened, uncertain woman he had once controlled. But Emily simply stared back at him, an impenetrable wall of calm.
"You can't threaten me with the parole board, Emily," Daniel sneered confidently. "I have a spotless disciplinary record in here. I run the prison library. I am a model inmate. But you... you are desperate. Senator Thorne is going to crush your little charity, and you know it."
"Thorne is a powerful man," Emily acknowledged, her voice completely even. "But he is making the exact same mistake you made. He believes his wealth makes him untouchable. I need the contact for Apex Financial. Tell me who manages the shell companies."
"And what do I get in return?" Daniel demanded, the facade of the reformed prisoner vanishing entirely, replaced by the greedy opportunist she knew so well. "Information of this magnitude isn't free. If I give you the head of Apex Financial, I want your legal team to formally endorse my early release petition next month. I want a letter from Clearview stating I am completely rehabilitated."
Emily didn't blink. She had anticipated this exact demand.
"I will never write a letter endorsing your release, Daniel," Emily said firmly. "I will not leverage the integrity of my foundation to let a predator walk free."
Daniel's smug expression faltered, anger flashing in his eyes. "Then you get absolutely nothing! Let Thorne destroy you. Let him drag that woman back to his mansion. It’s no concern of mine."
"You are right. It isn't your concern," Emily said, preparing to stand up. "But I think you should know something. Charles Whitmore didn't just use Apex Financial; he owned a silent majority stake in it. When Charles was arrested, he transferred that stake. Thorne doesn't just use Apex; he controls it. And Thorne is the one who anonymously funded Vanessa's appeals while letting you rot in here."
Daniel froze. The color drained from his face.
Emily had bluffed, using a calculated guess based on Rachel's financial timelines, but the look of absolute shock and betrayal on Daniel's face confirmed her suspicions.
"Thorne funded Vanessa?" Daniel whispered, his ego deeply wounded by the idea that his former accomplices had abandoned him for a more powerful politician.
"He left you to take the fall," Emily said coldly. "You can protect him, Daniel, and sit in this cell for another decade. Or you can give me the name of the broker who handles the Apex ledgers, and watch Thorne lose his empire."
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Daniel gripped the receiver tightly, his knuckles turning white. His desire for revenge against those who had discarded him finally overpowered his desire to control Emily.
"His name is Marcus Vance," Daniel spat bitterly. "He operates out of a private wealth management firm in Geneva. Get a federal warrant for his encrypted servers, and you will find Thorne's fraudulent loans."
