Chapter 4 - Uninvited MercyThat evening, Evelyn received an unexpected visitor at her rented brownstone: Cynthia.
The young woman stood on the stoop, shivering in an oversized trench coat, visibly six months pregnant. The haughty arrogance seen at the family dining room was gone, replaced by raw terror.
"Grant took my passport," Cynthia choked out, tears cutting tracks through her makeup. "He said if I spoke to reporters or cooperated with the audit, he would have my father disbarred and take the baby through custody courts."
Evelyn stared at the woman who had shared her husband's bed. The instinct to slam the door was fierce, but beneath the bitter betrayal, Evelyn recognized the pattern. Grant used people until their utility expired, then crushed them with leverage.
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"Come inside," Evelyn said quietly, stepping aside. "The tea is still hot."
Over the kitchen table, Evelyn saw herself five years ago: naive, charmed by power, and blinded by charisma. "I won't let him destroy your child," Evelyn told her. "But you have to tell the federal prosecutors everything."
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