Her expression sharpened.
“You know you don’t have formal authority here.”
“I know.”
“Then how do you expect to stop him?”
“Because the largest secured lender listens to my brother, the lead private investor is managed through a Blackwood partnership, and half the board owes its introductions to my family.”
Bianca stared at me.
I hated how powerful the words sounded.
For years, I had hidden that part of my life because I did not want wealth to become the loudest fact in my marriage. Now it seemed childish to pretend influence ceased to exist simply because I refused to speak of it.
“But,” I added, “I don’t want Adrian punished before we know the truth.”
Priya nodded slowly.
“That may be harder than it sounds.”
“Why?”
“Because someone sent evidence to the board this afternoon.”
“What evidence?”
“Copies of the Northline invoices. Hotel records. Personal messages between Adrian and Claire.”
