I met Edwardo' s furious gaze, my own eyes unwavering. His threat to destroy what little remained of Moreno Corp. no longer sent a shiver down my spine. The fear had been replaced by a cold, hard resolve. He saw the shift in me, too. His eyes, usually so confident, held a flicker of surprise, perhaps even a hint of unease.
"What do you want, Blair?" he finally asked, his voice low, a dangerous undercurrent to it. The raw fury was still there, but now it was tinged with a grudging curiosity.
"Justice," I replied, my voice steady. "Cassie Shields will face the full extent of the law for her crimes. For attempting to murder my brother. For corporate espionage. For lying, manipulating, and destroying lives."
Cassie, who had been clinging to Edwardo's arm, let out a choked sob. "Edwardo, don't let her! She's just trying to get rid of me!"
He ignored her, his eyes still fixed on me. "I can punish her myself, Blair. I can cut her off. Exile her from my life. Make sure she never works in this city again. I can even arrange for a quiet, comfortable severance. No prison." He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a persuasive murmur. "And for you… I'll make it right. Anything you want. A generous settlement. A public apology from me. We can even… restart. Go on a date. Try to make this marriage… real."
I almost laughed. His words were a cruel parody of the dreams I once harbored. Restart? A date? The thought was so repulsive, it made my stomach churn. He was offering me crumbs, years too late, after he had burned my world to the ground.
"You're offering me a date?" I asked, a bitter smile playing on my lips. "After you publicly shamed me, crippled my brother, and celebrated with your mistress? You think a 'date' can fix that, Edwardo?" The sheer arrogance, the utter cluelessness, was breathtaking.
His face darkened. "Then what do you want? Name your price, Blair. But know this: Cassie will never see the inside of a prison cell. Not if I have anything to say about it."
"She will," I stated, my voice firm. "Because she deserves it. Justice is not negotiable. And your protection of her only proves her guilt."
"She's scared, Blair! She made mistakes! But she's just a girl!" His voice rose, tinged with desperation.
"A girl who tried to murder my brother," I countered, my eyes burning. "And a girl who betrayed your trust, stole your company's secrets, and fed you a diet of lies until you were blind."
He recoiled slightly, the truth of my words hitting him, even if he refused to acknowledge it. He clenched his jaw. "Fine. Then I'll make sure Moreno Corp. never sees another day. I'll use every legal loophole, every powerful connection. I'll buy up your suppliers, cut off your distribution. I'll bury you." He looked at me, a cruel glint in his eyes. "And then, Ben Pena will face federal charges for corporate espionage. With your company in ruins, you won't have the resources to fight me. You'll lose everything."
My heart pounded. Ben, still recovering, still fragile. Moreno Corp., finally on the path to recovery thanks to Grafton. He would ruin it all, just to protect her.
Ben, who had insisted on being present, despite his leg, slammed his cane on the floor. "You wouldn't dare, Edwardo! You'd be destroying your grandfather's efforts! He guaranteed Blair's company's survival!"
Edwardo merely scoffed. "My grandfather's sentimentality is his weakness. I am pragmatic. My loyalty is to those who deserve it. And Cassie deserves my protection." He looked at me, his gaze cold and resolute.
"So, Blair. What's it going to be?" Edwardo asked, his voice cold. "Justice for Cassie, and the complete annihilation of your family? Or a compromise?"
He was threatening me again. Using my family as a hostage to protect the woman who tried to kill his own unborn child (though he didn't know that yet) and my brother.
My eyes didn't burn with tears. They narrowed with calculation.
If I sent Cassie to prison, Edwardo would go to war. He would burn my father's legacy to the ground. But if I let Cassie go... I could strip him of something else.
"Fine," I said, my voice steady. "I'll make you a deal. Cassie walks free."
A triumphant smile touched Edwardo's lips. He thought he had won.
"But on one condition," I cut in, my voice razor-sharp. "You will sign over all of your personal shares in Moreno Corp. to me. You will inject five million dollars in capital to ensure our stability. And you will sign an irrevocable restraining order preventing you or your company from ever touching us again."
Edwardo stared at me, shocked. "You want my shares? And five million?"
"Consider it a severance package," I said coldly. "Or a stupidity tax. You are paying for the privilege of keeping your pet criminal out of jail. Take it or leave it."
He clenched his jaw, looking at Cassie's tearful face, then back at me. "Agreed."
I didn't feel defeated. I felt pragmatic. I had just secured my family's future and full control of our company. Cassie was free, yes, but she was Edwardo's problem now. And frankly, that was a worse punishment than prison.
...
The paperwork was signed. I walked out of the police station, the affidavit filed.
"Blair!" Edwardo called out.
I turned. He looked haggard. "I... I wanted to say... thank you. For dropping the charges."
"I didn't do it for you," I said, checking my phone. "I did it for the five million dollars. The transaction is complete, Edwardo. Goodbye."
As I stepped onto the curb, I saw them. Edwardo got into his car where Cassie was waiting. She leaned over and kissed him, a smug look on her face.
I didn't feel a pang of jealousy. I didn't feel a hollow ache. I felt a wave of nausea, like watching someone eat food that had fallen on a dirty floor.
"Good luck," I whispered to the empty air, "you're going to need it."
I turned my back on them and hailed a cab. "To the airport," I told the driver. "And step on it."
