Page 28 of October
"But you haven't objected either, have you?" Langley said, "That's calledRatification by Silence, Thomas. And it's deadly in court. Especially in a company like your father's. If no one raises the alarm, the system assumes everything is clean. The board sees your name on a memo or an internal approval and thinks, 'Well, the son signed off. Must be aboveboard.' Even if you didn't know what you were agreeing to."
I sat back hard, the leather of the chair groaning beneath me. My breath turned shallow, like the oxygen had thinned. Langley didn't stop. He could smell the fracture.
"That's the real con. It's not just what they did, it's how they did it throughyou."
He paused, studying me like a man watching a chess piece realize it's been a pawn all along.
"Her rise looks plausible because of you. You're the heir. The golden boy. The fresh face of the next generation. People assumed Laura's climb was tied to your influence, not your father's manipulation. They think you backed her. Or better yet—fell for her. That's the story your father let everyone believe."
He gave a slow shrug, voice sharpening at the edges.
"And that story? It's convenient. It's neat. It's just unprofessional enough to be believable, but not so messy that it threatens anyone's job, reputation, or credibility. People roll their eyes, maybe make a joke or two at your expense, but they don't dig. They don't question why a junior exec is suddenly in every high-level strategy meeting."
I gripped the arms of the chair, fingers digging into the leather. My face. My name. My silence. That's what shielded them. They hadn't just played me for a fool, they'ddrafted meinto it. Willing participant. Silent witness. Corporate camouflage.
" Let's not forget," he said, "her looking like your mistress isn't just scandalous. It's strategic. It undermines your marriage, makes your wife question you, distracts you at work. And while you're busy explaining rumors and patching things up at home, she's slipping into your seat at the table. Seamlessly. Quietly."
He stopped and added, "But my gut? It's screaming that she's not just after your position or your power. She's after the whole damn empire."
"They really covered every angle," I said quietly.
Langley smiled, a slow, hungry thing that didn't reach his eyes.
"Noteveryangle. They underestimated your threshold. Your dignity. And—well..." He stood, buttoning his jacket. "They forgot aboutme."
A chill slid down my spine. "You want to take him down."
He looked at me with something that wasn't quite satisfaction, but close. "I've been waiting to take him down for twenty years. Watching him build his little empire out of mirrors and smoke. Now I've gotyou."
I stared at him. "So what now?" I asked.
"Now," he said, "you decide if you want to be the weapon he never saw coming."
I didn't move. My hands were fists in my lap.
"You're not just a pawn, Thomas," Langley said. "You're the whole damn board now. Question is: are you ready to flip it?"
I looked him in the eye. "I'm ready," I said.
Then he paused, tapping his pen.
"You'll need help, Thomas. Have you told your mother?"
I hesitated. "She won't listen. She's... loyal."
"Still. Try," Langley said, his voice sharp with intent. "If your mother hasanythingon him—emails, signed authorizations, a misplaced ledger—we can use it. Her testimony could destroy him in court. She's not powerless."
I shook my head slowly, the weight of it all pressing down on my chest. "Don't hold your breath. She won't do it. She'd rather drown quietly than drag him under with her."
Langley tilted his head, watching me.
"She's planning his birthday party," I added bitterly. "Putting together seating charts and playlists like the last twenty years haven't been a lie. And Laura's invited. She has no idea she's inviting hismistressinto her house. Can you believe that?"
Langley didn't flinch. If anything, his expression brightened slightly, eyes narrowing with interest.
"Good," he said. "We can use that."
I blinked. "Use it?"
