Chapter 4 - THE MISTRESS WHO THOUGHT SHE HAD WON
Sloane Mercer woke the morning after the gala expecting flowers.
Instead, she received a message from Callum.
Do not contact my family.
She stared at the screen.
Then laughed.
Surely he was joking.
He had promised her a penthouse.
A position in one of his companies.
A future without Rosalind.
For eleven months, he had told her his marriage was over.
He said Rosalind remained beside him only because of the children.
Sloane had believed him.
Or at least she had chosen to believe the parts that made her feel important.
She called Callum.
No answer.
She called again.
Still nothing.
Then she received a notification from the building manager.
Her access to Callum's private apartment had been suspended.
Sloane's confidence began to crack.
Meanwhile, Callum sat in his office overlooking the Hudson.
His phone displayed seventeen missed calls from Sloane.
He ignored them.
He had spent the night trying to reach Rosalind.
She hadn't answered.
Neither had Gideon.
Beckett had sent one message.
All further financial questions go through counsel.
Piers had sent nothing.
That silence frightened Callum most.
His chief operating officer, Marcus Bell, entered carrying a tablet.
“We have a problem.”
Callum looked up.
“What?”
“Bellwether's financing committee has suspended the next release.”
Callum frowned.
“Why?”
“They're requesting confirmation from the trust's controlling beneficiary.”
Callum stared.
“Which beneficiary?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Rosalind.”
The room went silent.
Callum leaned back.
“That can't be right.”
Marcus placed the documents on the desk.
“It is.”
Callum read.
Then read again.
His mother's signature appeared at the bottom of the trust agreement.
He felt something cold settle in his chest.
For years, he had assumed the family development assets were controlled by the executive office.
Now he discovered Rosalind held the deciding vote.
He called Gideon.
This time, his son answered.
“Dad.”
“Why is your mother interfering with Bellwether?”
Gideon was silent.
Then said:
“Because it's her project.”
Callum's jaw tightened.
“It's a family project.”
“Then perhaps you should have treated her like family.”
Callum closed his eyes.
“Gideon, don't lecture me.”
His son replied calmly:
“I'm not lecturing you. I'm telling you the truth.”
That afternoon, Sloane arrived at Callum's office.
She stormed past the receptionist.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
Callum stood.
“Leave.”
Sloane stared.
“Excuse me?”
“You humiliated my wife.”
Sloane laughed.
“Your wife? You told me you were leaving her.”
Callum looked away.
She stepped closer.
“You promised.”
He said nothing.
Sloane's expression hardened.
“Then perhaps I should tell everyone what else you promised.”
Callum looked up.
“What are you talking about?”
She smiled.
May you like
“The money.”
And suddenly Callum understood that the woman he had invited into his private life had been listening far more carefully than he realized.
