Chapter 11: The Blackmail
Vanessa swallowed hard, clutching a small flash drive in her trembling hands.
"Eleanor contacted me," Vanessa blurted out. "A week ago. She tracked me down. She offered me two million dollars to seduce Daniel again. She wanted me to record him saying he still loved me, or to get him in a compromising position."
I raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"And I tried!" Vanessa cried defensively. "I cornered him at his hotel during his business trip to Chicago. I tried everything. But... he didn't even look at me, Lauren. He recorded the entire interaction on his phone. He told me if I ever came near his family again, he would destroy me."
A strange, quiet warmth bloomed in my chest. Daniel had truly changed. The armor he had rebuilt wasn't just for show.
"So why are you here?" I asked coldly.
"Because Eleanor didn't pay me," Vanessa sobbed. "She said I failed, so I get nothing. But I have the emails, Lauren! I have the voice recordings of Eleanor planning to frame you for corporate espionage! She’s trying to invalidate the trust to get her money back!"
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Vanessa placed the flash drive on my desk.
"I'll give it all to you," Vanessa pleaded. "Everything you need to put her in prison for conspiracy. Just... please, pay me the two million. I have dangerous debts, Lauren. I need the money."
