Chapter 11 - The Trap set by Richard
"Block her access," Richard commanded into his phone as the rain poured down over his estate. "Call the Grand Regent Hotel. Tell them Clara Vance is off her medication and attempting to access corporate accounts. If she shows up, reject her at the door, humiliate her, and call the police."
Richard knew that if Clara tried to seek refuge at her father's flagship hotel, the staff would shut her down before she ever reached the corporate archives on the upper floors. He had spent months bribing key staff at the hotel—including the head front desk manager, Patrick—to ensure no messages from Clara ever reached the executive board.
Driving through the dark, rain-slicked highway, Clara had no idea that Patrick had already received the memo from Richard's legal team twenty minutes before she walked into the lobby. Patrick hadn't just been arrogant; he was being paid by Richard Sterling to ensure Clara was humiliated and turned away into the street.
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Clara pulled her car into an alley two blocks from the hotel. Her hands were shaking so hard she could barely hold the steering wheel. She knew she couldn't walk into the hotel looking like a powerful CEO; she needed to look completely harmless to slip past Richard's security guards at the main entrance.
👉 She wrapped Lily in her cardigan, grabbed the massive bouquet of roses she used to hide her leather bag containing the ledger, and stepped out into the storm.
