Chapter 34

Later that day, Georgiana led Collette through a discreet back entrance of the corporate tower; a private elevator reserved for the family’s use.

The walls were panelled in dark mahogany, the air perfumed with a soft hint of sandalwood. Neither mother nor daughter spoke as the car descended into the sub-basement level. When the doors opened, they stepped into a cavernous vault of steel cages and reinforced glass: the company’s little-known security annex.

Behind a secure access panel, Georgiana pressed a fingerprint scanner. A hidden door hissed open to reveal a purposely stalled service elevator. Inside stood two burly men in tailored charcoal suits, former military contractors turned Rawlins Family operatives. They snapped attention.

“You understand the stakes?” Georgiana’s voice was quiet but unyielding.

One of the men nodded. “Missed work, Madam?”

“No,” Georgiana replied. “Missus.” She allowed herself a thin smile. “She’s going to take an unscheduled sabbatical.”

Collette swallowed, her stomach fluttering. Until now, the reality of what they were about to do had been abstract, words on a ledger, whispered phone calls. Now, pink-tipped nails resting against polished steel cages, she felt her heart skitter like a startled bird.

“Hope Alejandra is smart,” Georgiana said, stepping past the men and into the elevator. “She’s charmed half the board. If we don’t act decisively—if we let sentiment get in the way—she’ll erode everything we’ve built.”

The elevator descended another level. The lights dimmed. A cold draft brushed Collette’s ankles as the doors opened onto a long, sterile corridor. At the end, under a single spotlight, stood a nondescript black sedan, idling.

Georgiana squared her shoulders. “She thinks we’re sending her on a retreat to smooth over the scandal—an image-building weekend. Instead, we remove her threat.”

Collette’s voice trembled. “We—what exactly will they do?”

Georgiana’s gaze softened, just for an instant. “They’ll make it look like a kidnapping gone wrong. A robbery in her own home—staged by people looking for company data. A struggle. No one will suspect us.”

The two operatives inclined their heads. One produced a sleek black tablet, tapping a few commands. A set of live satellite blueprints of Hope’s secret penthouse appeared on-screen.

“She lives on the thirty-eighth floor,” the operative said. “Security cameras feed directly into central storage. We’ve arranged a blackout window—three minutes, starting at 11:47 p.m. Thursday. We enter through an emergency egress on the west side service corridor. Bypass silent alarm. We extract her to the sedan. Simulate forced entry, gunshots. Then, one .38 caliber to the temple. No witnesses.”

Collette’s breath hitched. Her mother’s plan was flawless. Brutal, but flawless.

Georgiana closed the tablet and slipped it into her clutch. “Your task is simple. Make sure Noah is out of her path. Distract him—keep him far enough away that he cannot intervene.”

Collette nodded, her eyes brimming with tears she refused to shed. “Yes, Mother.”

They re-entered the private elevator. As the doors closed, Georgiana placed a firm hand on Collette’s shoulder. “By the time you’re done, you’ll have reclaimed your future. And I’ll see to it that Noah’s heart is truly safe—then he’ll turn to you for comfort, for love.”

Collette swallowed the lump in her throat. “He won’t know what hit him.”

“Precisely.” Georgiana’s lips curved in a cold, victorious smile.

—

Noah, still taken aback by what happened in Hope's office, he was restless. He started pacing around his room with his hands resting on his waist.

Then the door was knocked. He hesitated for some minutes before he walked up to the door reluctantly. As he creaked the door open halfway, he heaved a deep sigh as he found out it was his mother and Collette. He thought it was only Collete, probably might have heard about his kissing scandals and come to stress him, but now she was with his mother.

Georgiana looked up, her expression stern. “Noah.”

His chest tightened. “Mother. Collette.” He offered a polite nod. Then, catching Collette’s averted gaze, his heart constricted. He cleared his throat. “You wanted to see me?”

Collette’s mouth quivered, but Georgiana cut in. “Explain yourself,” she demanded. “Explain why you were seen kissing Hope this morning.”

Noah blinked, bewildered. “Kissing?” His gaze flicked between the two women. “I never… I would never—”

Georgiana’s voice rose, sharp as a blade. “Don’t lie to me, boy. Legal Affairs confirms it. You, the darling grandson of Alejandro, locking lips with your step-sister. Do you realize what that means?”

“No,” Noah said, his voice cracking. “What it means… to you both.” He took a step forward. “I never wanted Collette—I only did this to appease your idea of loyalty. I—I want Hope!”

The room went silent. Georgiana’s eyes narrowed so sharply Noah thought he might glimpse steel.

“You—want Hope?” Collette whispered, her voice choked with betrayal.

Noah’s shoulders slumped. “Yes.” He squared his jaw. “She’s honest, she’s brilliant… she makes me feel alive. Not like I’m a trophy for some family dynasty.”

Georgiana rose to her full height, regal fury blazing across her features. “How dare you defy me!”

He met her gaze without flinching. “I didn’t defy you. I followed my heart.”

Collette let out a strangled sob. Georgiana, her composure cracking, stormed around the desk. “You will not ruin this family with your naïveté,” she spat. “I won’t let a conniving interloper destroy what we’ve built for generations!”

Noah’s calm broke. “Hope isn’t an interloper. She earned her place.” He advanced, closing the distance between him and Georgiana. “You two conspired to destroy her reputation with lies, and now… now you’re plotting her death!”

Collette gasped. Georgiana’s eyes flashed with rage—and something else: a fleeting shadow of fear.

“You insolent—” Georgiana began, her voice trembling.

Noah shook his head, incredulous. “I loved you, Mother. I trusted you.” His voice dropped. “But I love Hope more.”