Leland blinked in surprise. He reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a silver pen.
Aubree took it. She didn't read a single word on the page. She flipped directly to the back.
She pressed the pen to the paper and signed "Aubree Pratt" with quick, aggressive strokes.
She tossed the pen onto the glass table. It landed with a sharp clack.
Eli stared at her signature. His chest felt tight. He didn't feel the relief he expected. He felt like someone had punched a hole in his stomach.
He pointed at the paper. "You took the fifty million. That buys your silence and your lies."
Aubree stood up. She looked down at him. "Fifty million for a kidney. You got a massive discount, Eli." She didn't say the words out loud. She kept them locked in her mind.
Out loud, she smiled. "Consider it my emotional damage compensation."
Eli's jaw clenched. "You really are just a cheap whore."
The electronic lock on the front door beeped loudly.
Everyone turned their heads. The heavy door swung open. A tall, incredibly handsome man walked in.
Willow Croft had messy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore an expensive, casual designer jacket. Aubree's tense shoulders dropped a fraction. Willow wasn't just a stranger; he was her most trusted confidant from her underground fashion network, the only person who knew she was Madame Lan, and he had flown in specifically to extract her from this nightmare.
He ignored the tense room and walked straight to Aubree. "Bree," he said, his voice deep and intimate.
Eli's eyes turned into daggers. He stared at the stranger.
Willow wrapped his arm around Aubree's waist. He leaned down and whispered, "Are you done here? The car is waiting downstairs."
Aubree looked up at Willow. She flashed him a bright, genuine smile. It was a smile Eli hadn't seen in three years.
Eli's hands curled into fists. His knuckles turned pure white.
He shot up from the sofa. He kicked the leather chair out of his way. "Who the hell is this?" Eli roared.
Aubree turned to look at Eli. The smile vanished from her face.
She reached up and slowly adjusted the collar of Willow's jacket. The gesture was incredibly intimate.
She locked eyes with Eli. "Let me introduce you. This is Willow. He's helping me start my new life. Your fifty million? Consider it a generous severance package. I'm putting it to good use."
The words hit Eli like a physical blow. She was taking his money to keep a boy toy.
Eli's face turned dark red. His chest heaved up and down. He wanted to wrap his hands around the blonde man's neck and snap it.
The lawyers held their breath, staring at the floor.
Aubree picked up her black briefcase. She left all the designer bags and jewelry behind.
"Let's go," she said to Willow.
They walked toward the door. As they passed Eli, he suddenly reached out, aiming to grab Aubree's arm.
Willow moved faster. He stepped his large body between them and slapped Eli's hand away.
The two men stared at each other. The air in the room felt like it was going to catch fire.
Aubree didn't even look back. She walked out the door. Willow followed and pulled the door shut behind them.
The loud slam echoed in the room. Eli spun around and kicked the million-dollar mahogany coffee table. The glass top shattered into a thousand pieces.
