Page 115

I leaned back, resting my ankle over my knee, watching as the meaning sank in.

Bill scoffed, shaking his head. “So, what’s the real reason I’m here, Colton? I should also mention I reached out to the rest of the board before coming. Funny thing, none of them got an invite.” He leaned forward, a smirk pulling at his lips. “Ironic how it was just me.”

I picked up the folder, tapping its bottom against the desk. “Would you like me to explain this to you, or would you prefer to read it yourself?”

His smirk faltered. “Why don’t you tell me? Since, clearly, this is so important that you felt the need to interrupt my weekend with your bullshit.”

I didn’t rise to the bait.

“No one made you come,” I said, calmly flipping open the folder and pulling out the first piece of evidence.

Bill shifted in his seat, rubbing his palms against his thighs again. He was uncomfortable now. Good.

“And if I hadn’t?” he asked, his voice tightening.

To be honest, I hadn’t even considered the possibility of him not showing up. I’d banked on the fact that I knew his games better than he thought I did.

So instead of answering, I ignored him because what I had to say next was all that mattered.

“The piece of paper I have here is an email,” I said pointedly, holding it up as I leaned back in my chair. I wanted him to see the calm in my expression, the control in my movements. “It’s addressed to Stacey’s lawyers. You know her, right?”

I glanced up, watching him closely.

Bill swallowed, shrugging like it was no big deal. “Maybe.”

I hummed, flipping the page slightly between my fingers. “Funny. Because this email comes from you, Bill.” I paused, letting the weight of my words settle. “Would you know why that is? Why you were reaching out to her lawyers?”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t even blink.

I nodded once, unfazed. “Right. So let me help you out, this email lays out an offer. A bribe, to be exact. One that encourages her to sue Stone Ranch.”

His jaw ticked, but he kept his expression neutral. “Those are fake.” His voice came out as a low growl, his body shifting forward, trying to reclaim some kind of power. “How dare you try to frame me? Dragging me up to your office like some damn school kid—”

“It’s funny,” I mused, setting the email down and picking up the next document. “I figured you’d say that.”

I slid the next set of papers across the desk, bank statements, crisp and damning. “So, tell me, is this not your bank account routing money to her?”

Bill snatched up the papers, scanning them quickly before tossing them back with a scoff. “Nope. Again, fake.”

I tilted my head, watching him. He was really sticking to that story. Shame.

If I didn’t already know I had him backed into a corner, I might have been angry. But that wasn’t the case.

I sighed, feeling the final blow sitting heavy in my hands. I wasn’t quite ready to deal it yet.

“Bill,” I started, my tone shifting. “You and I, we’ve been through a lot.” I exhaled, shaking my head. “Many, many years of working together, and if I’m being honest—can I be honest?” I asked, my voice laced with mock sincerity.

Bill rolled his eyes, reclining in his chair. “Just fucking get on with it. I have places to be.”

I let a slow smirk creep onto my face. “I thought you’d give up by now. I really did. I let you get by with dumb shit for years because I figured one day, you’d get tired. But I was wrong.” I leaned forward, voice dropping to a deadly calm. “This? This was too far, Bill.”

His nostrils flared. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I tapped my fingers against the paper, letting the silence stretch just enough to make him sweat.

“Like I said before, I knew you were going to play stupid. Which is why Eleanor told me to cover all my angles.”

His brow furrowed. “Who the hell is Eleanor?”