CHAPTER 5 – THEY TRIED TO DESTROY HER LIFE
CHAPTER 5 – THEY TRIED TO DESTROY HER LIFE
Claire Parker believed the nightmare had ended.
She was wrong.
The next morning, at exactly 8:13 a.m., her phone rang while she was helping Emily practice walking between the kitchen table and the living room sofa.
Emily smiled proudly after taking seven shaky steps.
"Did you see that?"
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
"I saw every one."
The phone vibrated again.
It was Marlene.
Claire answered immediately.
"Good morning."
Marlene didn't bother returning the greeting.
"Don't come back."
Claire froze.
"...What?"
"The agency received a complaint from the Whitmores."
Claire's stomach tightened.
"They accused you of creating a disturbance, harassing guests, and damaging property."
Claire couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"But there are security cameras."
"They're influential clients."
Silence.
"The agency has decided not to assign you to future events."
The call ended.
Claire remained standing in the kitchen.
Her hands slowly lowered the phone.
Emily immediately noticed.
"What happened?"
Claire forced a smile that fooled no one.
"I just lost my weekend work."
Emily's face collapsed.
"Because of me?"
"No."
Claire knelt in front of her sister.
"Never because of you."
"But you only took those jobs because I need therapy."
Claire gently held Emily's face.
"Listen to me."
Emily looked up.
"You are never the reason my life is difficult."
A tear rolled down Claire's cheek.
"You are the reason I keep fighting."
Emily hugged her tightly.
Neither sister noticed the unpaid medical invoice lying on the kitchen counter.
Three hundred and fifty dollars.
Due Monday.
Across town...
Grant Whitmore was living through his own nightmare.
His office had become a battlefield.
"Another bank called."
His chief financial officer looked pale.
"They heard Vincent withdrew."
Grant closed his eyes.
"How many?"
"Four."
"And investors?"
"Three have postponed meetings."
Grant slammed his fist onto the desk.
"This happened overnight."
"No."
The CFO swallowed.
"It happened because people believe Vincent knows something they don't."
Grant understood immediately.
In high finance...
Vincent Moretti almost never walked away from profitable deals.
If he refused to invest...
Everyone assumed disaster was coming.
Within twenty-four hours...
Whitmore Development had lost nearly sixty million dollars in market value.
And the bleeding had only begun.
Meanwhile...
Addison blamed everyone except herself.
She stormed into her father's office.
"This is ridiculous."
Grant stared at her.
"Ridiculous?"
"You're acting like one waitress matters more than our family."
Grant slowly stood.
For the first time in Addison's life...
Her father slapped her.
The room fell silent.
Addison touched her face in disbelief.
"You..."
Grant's voice shook with fury.
"I spent thirty years building this company."
He pointed toward the window overlooking downtown Providence.
"You destroyed part of it in thirty seconds."
That afternoon...
Claire walked into another restaurant looking for work.
The manager glanced at her résumé.
"You've got good references."
Claire smiled hopefully.
"Thank you."
The manager hesitated.
"Unfortunately..."
He turned his computer screen around.
An article had already spread across local business circles.
CATERING SERVER CAUSES SCENE AT WHITMORE CHARITY GALA
Claire stared.
There was no mention of the assault.
No mention of the money.
No mention of the cameras.
Only carefully selected photographs showing her climbing out of the pool.
The comments beneath the article were brutal.
"Professional victim."
"Attention seeker."
"People always blame the rich."
Claire quietly closed the laptop.
"I understand."
The manager sighed.
"I'm sorry."
She nodded politely and left.
Outside...
She finally allowed herself to cry.
Not because she had lost another job.
Because lies traveled faster than truth.
A black luxury sedan sat across the street.
Marco watched everything.
He quietly spoke into his phone.
"Sir."
Vincent answered immediately.
"Report."
"She has been rejected by three employers today."
A long silence.
Then Vincent asked,
"Did she ask anyone for help?"
"No."
"Did she complain?"
"No."
"Did she tell anyone what happened?"
"No."
Vincent looked out the window of his office.
Interesting.
Most people fought for sympathy.
Claire fought for dignity.
That made her dangerous...
To dishonest people.
That evening...
Vincent called Hannah Sloan.
"You were at the gala."
"I was."
"You saw everything."
"I did."
"I need a favor."
May you like
Hannah smiled.
"I was wondering when you'd call."
