“No, Claire, please don’t hang up,” he stammered.

“I didn’t know about the loan,” he added. “I swear to you, I didn’t know.”

I looked down at the twenty-million-dollar document on the desk.

The digital signature bore my name, but the metadata printed at the bottom told a different story.

“Your mother used my company as collateral, Harrison,” I said, my voice cold.

“She did it to save Voss Holdings,” he said, his voice dropping to a desperate whisper.

“She did it to save herself,” I corrected.

“I can help you,” Harrison said. “I have the emails. I have her personal ledger.”

I paused, holding my breath in the quiet room.

“What do you want, Harrison?” I asked.

“We need to meet,” he said. “Just you and me. I’ll give you everything on her.”

“I’ll have Elena contact your council,” I said.

“No, she can’t know yet,” he pleaded. “If my mother finds out I’m talking to you, she’ll ruin me.”

“You’re already ruined, Harrison,” I said.

I ended the call and set the phone face down on the glass desk.

The glass was cold against my palm.