Adeline pressed the green accept button and put the phone on speaker, tossing it onto the plush velvet sofa. She kicked off her heels, letting her bare feet sink into the thick carpet.
"Adeline." Marion Strong's voice was shrill, vibrating with barely contained venom. "You will meet me tomorrow at ten o'clock at the Pierre Hotel tea room. Do not be late."
Adeline walked to the wet bar and poured herself a glass of sparkling water. "I am quite busy tomorrow, Marion. I do not have time for idle gossip."
"Listen to me, you little tramp," Marion hissed, her voice dropping into a vicious threat. "If you do not show up, I will make a few phone calls. You will never find a job in this city again. You will starve."
Adeline took a slow sip of her water. "Your threats are as outdated as your wardrobe, Marion."
She tapped the screen, cutting the call dead, and turned the phone off.
The next morning, Adeline slept until nine. She dressed in a Loro Piana cashmere suit in a muted, understated beige. It screamed quiet luxury, completely devoid of logos but costing more than a luxury car.
At exactly ten o'clock, she walked into the private, soundproofed parlor of the Pierre Hotel tea room.
Marion Strong was already seated. She wore a stiff, outdated tweed suit and a string of oversized pearls that looked heavy and ridiculous. Her face was pinched into a mask of supreme arrogance.
Marion did not offer a greeting. She reached into her Birkin bag, pulled out a thick legal document and a piece of paper, and slapped them onto the table.
"Five million dollars," Marion said, her tone dripping with disgust. "It is a cashier's check. It clears instantly. Sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement. You will never speak of Evan, Piper, or the Strong family again."
Adeline pulled out a chair and sat down gracefully. She looked at the check. Five million. Strong Group was bleeding cash, and this old woman was draining the reserves to save face.
"Do not look so greedy," Marion sneered. "That is more money than you will see in your entire pathetic life. Take it, buy a farm in the Midwest, and disappear."
Adeline picked up the NDA. She flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning the draconian clauses. It demanded absolute silence regarding the events in the restroom.
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Are you terrified the board will see the photos of Evan covered in blood? Is that why you are paying me off?"
Marion's face tightened. "It was a drunken misunderstanding. Piper has forgiven him. The Stafford merger will proceed as planned."
Adeline bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing out loud. Stafford merger. The delusion was staggering.
Adeline reached into her bag and pulled out a custom Montblanc fountain pen. She uncapped it and stared at the signature line. A cold smile touched her lips. She wasn't about to give this woman a legally binding document. With bold, sweeping strokes, she signed a name she hadn't used since she was a child in the foster system, long before the Staffords had officially adopted her: Jane Doe. It was a completely fictitious legal identity, a ghost that had been permanently erased from all government databases over a decade ago. The moment the ink dried, the contract was completely void.
Marion watched her sign, a look of utter contempt washing over her face. "I knew you were just a cheap whore looking for a payout."
Adeline capped the pen. She picked up the five-million-dollar check, folded it neatly, and slid it into her cardholder.
She stood up, looking down at Marion. "Thank you for your generous donation, Marion. I hope Strong Group survives the end of the month."
Marion slammed her hands on the table, standing up. "You take the money and keep your mouth shut, you filthy bitch!"
Adeline's eyes went dead. She reached out, picked up the porcelain cup of freshly poured Earl Grey tea, and flicked her wrist.
The scalding hot tea splashed directly across the front of Marion's expensive tweed jacket.
Marion let out a high-pitched, pig-like squeal. She jumped back, clutching her chest as the hot liquid soaked through the fabric, ruining the silk blouse underneath. Her perfectly powdered face twisted in agony.
Adeline set the empty cup down. She pulled a napkin from the dispenser and dabbed her fingers.
"Consider the five million the interest on my emotional distress," Adeline said coldly. "Watch your mouth next time."
She turned and walked out of the parlor, ignoring Marion's frantic screaming.
Out on the sidewalk, Adeline pulled out her phone and dialed Elena.
"Deposit the five million dollar check immediately," Adeline ordered as she walked toward the curb. "Use the entire amount to silently contact the primary creditors holding Strong Group's high-yield corporate bonds. I want to buy up their non-performing debt at a premium. By the end of the week, I want to be the largest single debt holder of Evan's entire supply chain. When they default, I will own them."
"Understood," Elena replied. "Also, I tracked Piper's schedule. She and Marion are heading to the Cartier flagship on Fifth Avenue this afternoon to pick out an engagement ring. I should also mention, our concierge service flagged that Mr. Cade Kramer has also reserved the adjacent VIP viewing room at Cartier for this afternoon."
Adeline's lips curved into a sharp, predatory smile. "Perfect. I need something to match my rubies. And it seems I might run into my new neighbor."
She waved down a black Uber SUV and climbed into the back. "Cartier, Fifth Avenue," she told the driver. She leaned back against the leather seats, ready to rip the fake heiress to shreds.
