Chapter 6 - Richard's First Mistake
Richard did not know Harrison already had the emails.
That ignorance became his first serious mistake.
At 9:00 a.m. the next morning, Richard held a press conference outside Harrington Development Group headquarters.
He stood beneath the company logo with two executives behind him.
"My wife experienced a terrible accident."
Reporters immediately began shouting questions.
Richard raised one hand.
"Vanessa Kensington and my wife had a personal disagreement."
"What happened was emotional and tragic."
"But the suggestion that I had anything to do with it is disgusting."
One reporter asked whether Vanessa was his mistress.
Richard's jaw tightened.
"My private life is irrelevant."
Another reporter shouted.
"Did your company transfer money to Vanessa?"
Richard looked directly into the camera.
"Absolutely not."
Harrison watched the press conference from Khloe's hospital room.
He paused the television.
Khloe looked at him.
"He lied."
"On camera."
"About something we can prove."
"Exactly."
Khloe almost smiled.
"You're happy."
"No."
"You have the face."
"What face?"
"The one Dad used to call your shark face."
Harrison turned the television off.
"Richard just created evidence."
Khloe's smile disappeared.
"You really think he planned this?"
Harrison did not answer immediately.
That was enough.
Khloe looked back toward the NICU through the adjoining glass.
"I loved him."
"I know."
"I loved him for eleven years."
"I know."
"How did I not see it?"
Harrison sat beside her.
"Because trusting your husband isn't stupidity."
"He used that trust."
"That's on him."
Khloe stared at her hands.
Then she spoke with surprising calm.
"I want a divorce."
Harrison nodded.
"I already had the petition drafted."
She looked at him.
"Of course you did."
"But divorce comes second."
"What's first?"
"Keeping you alive."
A temporary protection order was filed before noon.
A judge prohibited Richard from contacting Khloe directly.
The order also froze several disputed corporate transfers.
Richard exploded when he learned about it.
He called Harrison.
Harrison answered on speaker with Lena listening.
"You froze my accounts?"
"Company accounts."
"You have no authority."
"Khloe does."
"She's in a hospital."
"She signed electronically."
"She's medicated."
"She was evaluated by two physicians."
"You manipulative—"
Harrison interrupted.
"Careful."
"This call is being preserved."
Richard went silent.
Then his voice changed.
It became calm.
Almost friendly.
"Harry."
"Don't call me that."
"I know you're angry."
"My sister calls me Harry."
"You call me Mr. Cole."
Richard exhaled.
"Mr. Cole."
"Better."
"We've been family a long time."
"No."
"My sister was family."
"You were paperwork."
"You can't destroy everything we've built over one mistake."
Harrison glanced at Lena.
"Which mistake?"
Silence.
"The affair?"
Harrison asked.
"The stolen money?"
"The forged trust?"
"The insurance policy?"
"The courthouse?"
Richard stopped breathing.
Harrison leaned closer to the phone.
"Which mistake are you referring to?"
Richard disconnected.
Lena slowly smiled.
"He didn't deny any of them."
"No."
Harrison saved the recording.
"He also learned we know about the policy."
That night, someone broke into Khloe's house.
Nothing valuable was taken.
No jewelry.
No cash.
No electronics.
Only one room had been searched.
May you like
The nursery.
And the intruder had ripped apart every book on the shelf.
