“Don’t talk about my child,” I said, my voice hardening.

“Your father tried to erase this baby before it was even born.”

“He forged my signature on documents that said I abandoned the pregnancy.”

“He tried to declare me legally incompetent.”

“Because you are a liability,” Vivian said.

“You were always a distraction for Luke.”

“He was supposed to take over the firm, not play savior to a girl from Queens.”

“He’s not playing,” Marco said.

“He is tearing the house down.”

“And you are going to let us walk out of here, Vivian.”

Marco raised his weapon a fraction of an inch.

“Because if you pull that trigger, you won’t live to see the trial.”

Vivian’s chest heaved as she breathed.

The silver pistol trembled in her grip.

She looked at the black USB drive in Marco’s hand.

She looked at me, her eyes filled with a desperate, calculating rage.

“If I let you go, my father will know I failed,” she said.

“He will strip me of my shares.”

“He already has,” I said.

“He never cared about you, Vivian.”