Chapter 7 - The Boardroom Trap
Vanessa did not hide.
She called a board meeting.
By noon, every director of Hawthorne Holdings sat around a glass table forty floors above the city, while Vanessa stood at the head as though the previous twenty-four hours had never happened.
Rachel watched the meeting by video from home.
Jason had begged her not to come downtown.
For once, she agreed.
"My family is being targeted by a deeply unstable woman," Vanessa told the board.
Jason slammed his palm on the table.
"That's my wife you're talking about."
Vanessa did not even blink.
"Your wife accused me of attempted murder after an accident. She has been under emotional strain for months."
A screen behind her lit up.
Video showed Rachel in the Hawthorne kitchen weeks earlier, shouting.
"Get away from me! Stop following me!"
The clip ended.
Vanessa looked sadly at the directors.
"We have all tried to help her."
At home, Rachel stared at the screen.
"That was the night she followed me into the pantry and grabbed my phone."
Mia, sitting beside her, nodded. "And the video starts ten seconds late."
"Of course it does."
Jason's voice came through the conference feed.
"You're editing footage now?"
Vanessa folded her hands. "I'm protecting the company."
"From what? My unborn child?"
A few directors looked uncomfortable.
Vanessa's eyes hardened.
"From anyone who would use that child to seize power."
Rachel whispered, "There it is."
Then Grant entered the boardroom.
He carried a legal folder.
Jason turned. "What are you doing here?"
Grant handed papers to the corporate secretary.
"An emergency petition has been filed in family court."
Rachel stood.
Mia's face drained.
Jason picked up the first page.
His expression changed.
"This says Rachel is mentally unfit."
Vanessa looked directly into the conference camera.
For the first time all day, she smiled.
"I warned you."
Rachel's phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
DON'T LET HER GET TO FRIDAY.
Rachel typed back: WHO IS THIS?
The answer came immediately.
SOMEONE WHO HELPED HER START IT.
May you like
Then a second message appeared.
I HAVE THE RECORDING.
