Chapter 5
She mapped the ownership.
Every chain led back toward Sloan.
On the ninth night Abigail set down her pencil.
“He isn’t trying to collect your debt.”
Leonardo looked up.
“What is he doing?”
“Buying you.”
Silence.
She turned the paper around.
“Your repayments are being redirected through shell companies. Those companies are purchasing voting shares while your debt stays artificially high. When Sloan eventually declares you in default, he won’t just take collateral.”
Leonardo stared at the diagram.
“He’ll already own enough of the company to control what remains.”
His expression became terrifyingly calm.
“I’ll bring him here.”
“No.”
“He stole from my family.”
“Exactly.”
Leonardo stood.
“And you expect me to do nothing?”
“I expect you to win.”
His eyes narrowed.
“There is a difference between revenge and victory, Leonardo.”
“He threatened everything my children inherit.”
“Then don’t give him exactly what he wants.”
“What does he want?”
“For the feared Leonardo Costa to walk into his office angry enough to become the villain in his story.”
She closed the ledger.
“You spent your life teaching people to fear what happens when they underestimate you.”
Abigail met his eyes.
“Let him underestimate me instead.”
Everett Sloan did exactly that.
Three days later Abigail accompanied Leonardo to Sloan’s glass-and-steel headquarters in Midtown.
Everett was fifty-three, silver-haired and perfectly dressed.
His smile changed when he saw Abigail.
Not enough to be openly insulting.
Enough for her to notice.
“So this is the future Mrs. Costa.”
“Abigail Turner.”
Everett shook her hand.
“I understand you’re helping with the children.”
“And cooking.”
“Leonardo always did need someone to soften that enormous house.”
Abigail smiled.
“I’ve also been trying to understand the loan.”
Everett’s eyes brightened with amusement.
“Oh?”
“Unfortunately, numbers aren’t really my thing.”
May you like
Leonardo nearly looked at her.
Abigail continued.
