Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK
That evening, Willow finally hired her own attorney.
Her name was Naomi Brooks.
Forty-three.
Former federal prosecutor.
No patience for Sterling intimidation.
Naomi reviewed the hospital records, the anniversary video, the corporate documents, and the threatening recording.
Then she looked at Willow.
"We separate two things."
"Your divorce."
"And the corporate investigation."
Willow nodded.
"Lucas's attorneys will try to merge them."
"They'll say your father invented the financial allegations because of the assault."
"Exactly."
Naomi closed the folder.
"So we move carefully."
The next morning, Willow filed for divorce.
By noon, every major Chicago outlet knew.
Lucas released no statement.
Richard did.
"The Sterling family is saddened by Willow's decision and remains concerned for her emotional well-being."
Willow read it aloud.
Helena nearly threw her coffee across the gallery.
"Emotional well-being?"
"Apparently I'm unstable now."
Naomi smiled faintly.
"Predictable."
Then the gallery door opened.
A woman walked inside.
Willow stopped breathing.
She recognized her immediately from photographs.
Amanda Sterling.
Lucas's first wife.
Amanda had disappeared from Chicago society eight years earlier.
The Sterling family claimed she had left Lucas for another man.
She had never publicly contradicted them.
Until now.
Amanda removed her sunglasses.
"Hello, Willow."
Willow stared.
"Why are you here?"
Amanda looked at the fading bruise.
"Because I saw the video."
Willow said nothing.
Amanda's eyes filled with something that looked like guilt.
"He hit me too."
The room went silent.
"Lucas?"
Amanda nodded.
"Once."
"Only once?"
"Once was enough."
Amanda sat down.
"It happened after I confronted Richard about money missing from a charitable foundation."
Willow felt her stomach tighten.
"Orion?"
Amanda looked startled.
"You know that name?"
Willow exchanged a glance with Michael.
"Some."
Amanda exhaled slowly.
"Then you know enough to be in danger."
She reached into her handbag.
"I kept this for eight years."
She placed a small recorder on the table.
"Richard came to see me after Lucas hit me."
Willow pressed play.
Richard's younger voice filled the room.
"You will sign the agreement."
Amanda replied, "And if I don't?"
"You'll lose everything."
"I'll tell people what Lucas did."
Richard laughed.
"Tell them."
"Then I'll tell them about the foundation."
Silence.
Richard's voice changed.
"Be very careful."
Amanda replied, "Is that a threat?"
"No."
"It's advice."
Willow remembered Michael saying almost the same words on the terrace.
The recording continued.
Richard said, "Daniel Cross thought he could embarrass this family too."
Amanda asked, "Who is Daniel Cross?"
Richard answered.
"A man nobody remembers."
The recording ended.
Amanda's hands shook.
"I signed the divorce settlement the next morning."
Willow looked at her.
"Why didn't you go to police?"
"I was twenty-eight."
"My parents depended financially on Sterling companies."
"Richard threatened to destroy them."
She looked down.
"So I ran."
Willow's anger softened.
Amanda looked at her.
"I've hated myself for it ever since."
"You survived."
Amanda shook her head.
"I stayed silent."
"There's a difference."
Michael spoke from the doorway.
Amanda looked at him.
He continued.
"Richard survives because decent people blame themselves for being afraid of him."
Amanda's eyes filled.
Willow reached across the table.
"Will you testify?"
Amanda looked at her.
Then at the bruise.
"Yes."
That afternoon, the first major newspaper published an investigative story connecting Sterling Consolidated to suspicious shell companies.
Sterling stock dropped another fourteen percent.
Two board members resigned.
A lender requested immediate clarification.
Then federal investigators contacted Bennett.
They wanted everything.
Michael agreed.
At five thirty, Willow's phone rang.
Lucas.
This time she answered.
"Hello."
His breathing was uneven.
"What did you do?"
Willow looked through the gallery window at the city.
"I told the truth."
"My father says federal agents contacted the company."
"Good."
"Good?"
"Yes."
"Willow, they're talking about freezing accounts."
"Then maybe they found something worth freezing."
Lucas lowered his voice.
"You don't understand."
"Stop saying that."
"You don't understand what my father is capable of."
Willow became still.
"Are you warning me?"
"I'm trying to protect you."
"From him?"
Silence.
Willow whispered, "Lucas, what did your father do?"
Nothing.
"Lucas."
Finally, he spoke.
"Project Orion wasn't created for bribery."
Willow's heart pounded.
"What was it created for?"
Lucas's answer came barely above a whisper.
"Containment."
"What does that mean?"
"It means when someone became a threat to the company, Orion handled them."
Willow gripped the phone.
"Handled how?"
Before Lucas could answer, another voice came through the line.
Richard.
"Hang up the phone, son."
May you like
Lucas whispered, "I'm sorry."
The call ended.
