Chapter 4 - The Dead Girl Comes HomeArthur rushed toward the entrance.
"Security!"
His voice cracked.
"Seize her! She's an impostor!"
Nobody moved.
Then every phone in the lobby buzzed.
A notification appeared.
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF STATE — EXECUTIVE OWNERSHIP NOTICE.
Ownership rights restored to Charlotte Vale.
The Japanese investor standing beside Arthur slowly stepped away.
"Mr. Sterling," he said quietly, "our partnership is terminated."
"Wait."
Arthur grabbed his sleeve.
"You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
The investor walked away.
Victoria came running.
"What happened?"
Arthur grabbed her wrist.
"Do you know what you've done?"
She stared at him.
"I don't understand."
Arthur looked toward me.
"That's Charlotte."
Victoria's face changed.
"No."
"Yes."
"The girl I threw out?"
Arthur swallowed.
"The owner."
The revolving doors opened.
I stepped inside.
Nobody touched me.
Nobody spoke.
The crowd parted.
My bloodied hands were still bandaged only by the sleeves of my jacket.
I walked across the same marble floor that had scraped my skin raw.
Then I stopped in front of Arthur.
He tried to smile.
"Welcome home."
I looked at him.
"Did you miss me?"
His smile trembled.
"Of course."
"Or did you miss spending my money?"
The silence was brutal.
Victoria looked between us.
May you like
Then she understood.
She had just assaulted the woman who legally owned the building.
Related Stories
