Chapter 6 - When The Woman Everyone Mocked Became The One Person They Needed
The public story became uglier.
News sites described Sarah as a social climber.
A blogger posted photographs of her standing beside Michael.
Another claimed they were secretly engaged.
Vanessa Reed gave an interview suggesting Sarah had manipulated Michael.
"I think Michael has always had a soft heart," Vanessa said sweetly.
Sarah watched the clip once.
Then turned it off.
She didn't cry.
She didn't defend herself online.
Instead, she returned to Mason Hale.
"I need everything."
Mason understood.
He opened the final box.
Inside was a cassette recorder.
"The original."
Sarah played it.
Clara's voice emerged again.
This time she sounded furious.
"I met with Daniel today. He says Richard acted alone. I don't believe him."
Then another voice.
Daniel.
"Clara, you have to understand. If this gets out, the company collapses."
Clara answered.
"Then let it collapse."
Daniel said something else.
Sarah froze.
"Your work isn't the only thing we're protecting."
Clara said nothing.
"You know about Lucas."
Sarah stopped the tape.
"Lucas."
She looked at Mason.
"What did my mother know?"
Mason sighed.
"Your mother found out that Lucas planned to expose the theft."
"Then he died."
Mason nodded.
"I never believed it was an accident."
Sarah felt sick.
The story was no longer about a dress.
It was about a death.
She called Michael.
He arrived within an hour.
Together they listened to the tape.
Michael's face drained of color.
Lucas had been his cousin.
His best friend.
The person who had taught him to drive.
The person who had once promised him they'd rebuild the company together.
Michael had spent twenty years believing Lucas was reckless.
Now he realized someone had lied.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because you were twenty."
Michael looked at Sarah.
"And you?"
"My mother chose me."
He nodded slowly.
The following morning, Michael announced an internal investigation.
The board fought him.
He won.
Daniel resigned.
Vanessa disappeared from the campaign calendar.
Vivian Cross refused to cooperate.
Then the evidence surfaced.
Financial transfers.
Hidden royalty accounts.
Forged contracts.
All leading back to the same network.
Daniel wasn't working alone.
Vivian was part of it.
She had received stolen designs for years.
Sarah's mother's name had been removed from the files.
But there was one problem.
A signature.
Someone had signed the original rights transfer.
Sarah.
Except Sarah had been three years old.
Forgery.
That evidence was enough to trigger a new scandal.
Vivian was furious.
She confronted Sarah outside the courthouse.
"You have no idea what you're destroying."
Sarah looked at her.
"You destroyed my mother first."
Vivian's face hardened.
"She wasn't strong enough."
"No."
Sarah stepped closer.
"She was too honest."
Vivian laughed.
"You think Michael will stay with you when this is over?"
Sarah said nothing.
Vivian continued.
"Men like him don't marry women like you."
Sarah looked at her calmly.
"Maybe that's why yours always leave."
Vivian slapped her.
Michael arrived just in time to see it.
His expression changed.
"Do that again."
Vivian froze.
Michael stepped between them.
"You will never touch her again."
Vivian tried to smile.
"You care about her."
Michael looked at Sarah.
"I do."
The words landed harder than the slap.
Sarah's heart raced.
Vivian stared at them.
Then walked away.
That evening, Michael drove Sarah home.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Finally Sarah said,
"You shouldn't have said that."
"What?"
"That you care about me."
"Why?"
"Because now I have to believe you."
Michael pulled over.
He looked at her.
"I've been trying not to."
"Why?"
"Because I knew the difference between helping you and falling for you would disappear eventually."
Sarah smiled sadly.
"And?"
"It already did."
She looked down.
"You don't know what you're asking for."
"I know exactly what I'm asking for."
Sarah took a breath.
"I don't fit into your world."
Michael smiled.
"I've never liked my world very much."
She laughed.
Then they kissed.
It wasn't dramatic.
There was no music.
No audience.
Just two people in a parked car while rain tapped against the windshield.
For the first time, Sarah allowed herself to imagine wanting something without calculating the cost.
The next morning, however, another envelope arrived.
Inside was a DNA report.
Ethan was not Lucas Brooks's son.
The report had been manipulated.
And someone had planted it intentionally.
Sarah stared at it.
Michael read the document.
His expression darkened.
"Someone wants you to think Ethan has no claim."
Sarah looked at him.
"Why?"
May you like
Michael answered quietly.
"Because Ethan may be the legal heir to something much bigger."
