Chapter 15 - The Price of a Punch
By morning, the story was national news.
A blurry photograph showed Elena soaked on the terrace and Marcus standing over her.
His lawyers wanted silence.
His board wanted a careful statement.
Marcus chose neither.
He walked into Brooks's interview room.
"I assaulted Elena Reyes," he said. "I want that in the record exactly as it happened."
Elena sat across from him, her cheek dark with bruising.
"You're not going to say you were scared for Leo?"
"I was scared. It doesn't excuse hitting you."
"Do you want forgiveness?"
"No."
That made her look at him.
"I want the truth recorded. What you do with it is your choice."
Later that day, Marcus stepped aside as CEO of Hale Group.
The stock fell. Commentators attacked him. His mother begged him to protect the family name.
He refused.
Victoria's lawyer released a statement calling Elena a manipulative employee who had created "false evidence."
Then Elena received a text.
$5,000,000. Leave Illinois. Say the pool video was misunderstood.
A second message followed.
If you refuse, your mother loses more than medication.
Then came a photograph of Rosa Reyes's front door, taken moments earlier.
Elena's face drained.
She dialed her mother.
No answer.
Again.
May you like
Nothing.
Brooks was already reaching for her radio when Elena ran for the door.
