Chapter 11 - THE MAN WHO KNEW FIRST
Z
Beckett stared at the invoice.
Six weeks.
Celeste was six weeks old.
Which meant Pierce had begun watching Violet around the time she gave birth.
"Why?" Violet asked.
They were sitting in Beckett's office late that evening.
Celeste slept in a portable crib nearby.
Beckett had insisted they bring her instead of leaving Violet alone.
"I don't know."
"Your father's attorney randomly starts following me?"
"Nothing about Pierce is random."
Beckett opened another file.
For twenty-eight years, Charles Pierce had managed family trusts, private settlements, succession planning, and sensitive acquisitions.
He knew every secret.
Including James.
Including Henry's attempt to buy Violet out.
Possibly including Celeste.
Beckett's security director entered.
"We found Pierce."
"Where?"
"JFK."
"Leaving?"
"London."
Beckett's mouth became a hard line.
"Bring him here."
Violet looked sharply at him.
"You cannot kidnap a lawyer."
"I'm aware."
"That pause wasn't comforting."
"I'm asking airport security to delay him over suspected corporate document theft."
"Did he steal documents?"
"We'll know when we search his office."
"Beckett."
"Fine. Probably."
Two hours later, Charles Pierce walked into the conference room accompanied by two attorneys of his own.
He was sixty-three.
Silver hair.
Expensive suit.
No visible fear.
"Beckett."
"Charles."
Pierce glanced at Violet.
"Ms. Laru."
"You hired someone to follow me."
Pierce didn't deny it.
"Why?"
He placed his briefcase down.
"Because Henry instructed me to."
Beckett laughed coldly.
"My father has been dead for eleven months."
"He left standing instructions."
That silenced everyone.
Pierce opened the briefcase.
"Henry believed your relationship with Violet would eventually resume."
Violet stared.
"He tried to pay me to leave."
"He did."
"Then why expect us to reunite?"
"Because your father understood his son."
Beckett's jaw clenched.
Pierce continued.
"Henry knew Beckett would eventually reject the life designed for him."
"Stop speaking in riddles."
Pierce took out an envelope.
"Your father changed his will shortly before his death."
"I reviewed the will."
"You reviewed the public estate documents."
Beckett became still.
"There was a codicil."
Pierce slid it across the table.
"If Beckett produced a biological child, certain voting shares were scheduled to transfer."
Violet felt cold.
"To whom?"
"To Beckett's child."
Beckett looked down at Celeste.
"How many shares?"
"Eight percent."
Even Violet understood that was enormous.
At Valiant Holdings' valuation, eight percent represented billions.
"So Celeste isn't only an heir," Violet whispered.
Pierce looked at her.
"She may eventually become the largest individual voting shareholder after Beckett."
Now the surveillance made sense.
Corporate control.
Board alliances.
Money.
Beckett's face became furious.
"You followed my daughter because of shares."
"I followed Violet because I needed proof the child existed."
"For whom?"
Pierce hesitated.
Beckett leaned forward.
"For whom?"
"Adriana Cole."
Violet's stomach dropped.
Pierce continued.
"She discovered the codicil during a succession review."
Beckett's face became blank.
"Adriana hired you."
"She asked questions. I provided answers."
"You leaked the story?"
"No."
"Who did?"
Pierce looked toward Violet.
"Adriana."
Violet closed her eyes.
The television interview.
The messages.
The photographs.
"Why?"
Beckett already knew.
"If Celeste exists publicly, the board is forced to consider succession implications."
Pierce nodded.
"And if Violet appears unstable, opportunistic, or incapable..."
"Adriana can argue the shares shouldn't transfer."
"Potentially."
Beckett rose.
Pierce continued quickly.
"There is more."
Beckett stopped.
"Your father anticipated this."
"Anticipated what?"
"A fight over your child."
Pierce reached inside the briefcase again.
"He left a letter."
Beckett laughed bitterly.
"Apparently my dead father wrote more letters than anyone alive."
"This one was for you."
Pierce handed it over.
Beckett opened it.
His father's handwriting filled three pages.
He read silently.
Then again.
Violet watched his expression change.
"What does it say?"
Beckett looked at her.
"He apologized."
No one spoke.
Henry Valiant.
The man who viewed emotion as incompetence.
Had apologized.
"For what?"
"For raising me to think family was a liability."
Beckett's voice became rough.
"He said James's death made him afraid, and he turned that fear into control."
Violet squeezed his hand.
Beckett continued reading.
Then stopped.
"What?"
He looked at Pierce.
"This says Violet refused the money."
Pierce nodded.
"Immediately."
Beckett looked at her.
"You never told me."
"I didn't think refusing to be bribed deserved applause."
Pierce spoke.
"Henry did."
Violet stared.
"What?"
"He changed his opinion of you afterward."
Pierce looked almost amused.
"He said anyone who could reject twenty-five million dollars and still tell him to go to hell was probably the only woman stubborn enough for his son."
Despite everything, Beckett laughed.
Violet did too.
Then Pierce's expression darkened.
"Unfortunately, Adriana knows something else."
Beckett stopped smiling.
"What?"
"The board meets tomorrow."
"About?"
"Removing you as CEO temporarily."
Violet inhaled sharply.
Pierce looked toward Celeste.
"They believe your daughter has compromised your judgment."
Beckett glanced at the sleeping baby.
Then back at Pierce.
His answer was simple.
"They're right."
Violet stared.
Beckett smiled without humor.
"My judgment is completely different now."
May you like
He picked up his jacket.
"And tomorrow they're going to discover exactly how different."
