Chapter 10 - The Secret Sanctuary
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Far away from the chaos consuming the downtown skyscraper, I sat in the sunlit solarium of my secret penthouse.
The secure location was listed under a dummy corporation Marcus had set up years ago. Overlooking Lake Michigan, it was a fortress of glass and steel, heavily guarded and entirely impenetrable to Graham’s private investigators.
I wore comfortable cashmere leggings and a loose silk sweater, sipping a cup of hot chamomile tea. A private fetal monitor was strapped to my belly, humming softly.
“Heart rate is perfect, Avery,” my private physician, Dr. Evans, said, packing up her medical bag. “Your blood pressure is remarkably stable considering the stress you must be under today.”
“I don't feel stressed, Doctor,” I said, looking out at the gray, churning waters of the lake. “I feel lighter than I have in a decade.”
“Just ensure you rest,” she smiled gently. “You are thirty-one weeks. We don't want any early surprises.”
Once the doctor was escorted out by Marcus, Silas walked into the solarium. He looked tired but deeply satisfied.
“The board voted unanimously,” Silas reported, sitting in the armchair opposite me. “Graham was escorted out of the building by security. He made quite a scene in the lobby.”
“I expect nothing less,” I murmured, taking a sip of my tea. “And the stock price?”
“Took a minor hit this morning when the WSJ article dropped, but it stabilized once we announced you were stepping back in as active CEO. The lenders are relieved. They always knew you were the brains of the operation.”
I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling a sharp, definitive kick against my palm. “Has he reached out to you yet?”
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“Fourteen voicemails,” Silas chuckled darkly. “He is alternating between threatening to destroy me and begging me to broker a peace treaty. He wants to see you.”
“Let him bleed a little longer,” I said coldly.
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