Chapter 34 - The Setup
I hung up the phone and looked at Chloe, my mind racing with absolute, calculated precision. Victor was trying to use my own brother as a weapon against me. It was a vicious, underhanded tactic, but it was also a massive, fatal mistake.
"He wants to play dirty," I murmured, staring at the dark city skyline out the window. "Let's show him what dirty actually looks like."
"What did Connor say?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms.
"Victor's legal team approached him," I explained, turning to face her. "They offered Connor half a million dollars to commit perjury on national television to destroy my credibility and ruin Eleanor's case. Connor is terrified and wants me to buy his silence instead."
"Are you going to pay him?" Chloe asked, her eyes narrowing in disgust.
"Absolutely not," I smiled, a dark, predatory grin spreading across my face. "I don't pay extortionists. But I am going to use him to bury Victor Vance permanently."
The next morning, Arthur arrived at the penthouse. I briefed him on the call.
"Suborning perjury and witness tampering are major federal offenses," Arthur noted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "If we can prove Victor's lawyers offered Connor money to lie, Victor loses his law licenses, his company's board will oust him, and the judge in Eleanor's divorce will grant her everything on summary judgment."
"But we need proof," I said. "Connor’s word is completely worthless. We need him to get Victor's lawyer on tape making the offer."
"A wiretap," Chloe concluded. "But Connor is a coward. He’ll never agree to wear a wire against a billionaire."
"He will if the alternative is going to federal prison for extortion," Arthur stated coldly. "Maya, call your brother back. Tell him you will give him the money he needs to pay off the loan sharks, but only if he meets Victor's lawyer at a location of our choosing, wearing a wire. If he refuses, I will personally hand the recording of his extortion attempt to the District Attorney."
I picked up the burner phone and dialed Connor's number. When he answered, I didn't offer pleasantries. I laid out the absolute, undeniable trap.
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"You have two choices, Connor," I said, my voice echoing with the authority I had earned through fire. "You help me destroy Victor Vance, or you go back to a concrete cell. Choose."
He didn't hesitate. "Tell me where to be."
