Tessa’s face went paper-white. The color drained from her lips. The legal shield of “medical guardianship” shattered in an instant. This was premeditated kidnapping and extortion.
“That was uploaded to the cloud an hour ago,” Maren said, stopping two feet from Tessa. “It’s currently sitting in the inbox of the FBI Director, the local DA, and every major news outlet in the country. You aren’t going to a boardroom, Tessa. You are going to a concrete cell for the rest of your natural life.”
Tessa looked at her father, who was staring at the floor, defeated. She looked at me, holding the gun. And finally, she looked at the woman she had vastly underestimated.
Tessa’s arms began to shake. The sociopathic confidence crumbled, leaving only a terrified, spoiled child.
Maren reached out. She didn’t snatch. She didn’t pull. She firmly, gently slid her arms under Clara.
