Chapter 71
Victoria's POV:
I scrolled through my phone, fingers frozen over the headline.
"Garrison Industries Executive Julian Garrison Announces Engagement to Sienna Hartley, Wedding Set for Two Months"
The leather couch creaked as I shifted, chest rising and falling too fast. My thumb hovered over the photo—Julian in a crisp navy suit, Sienna clinging to his arm like a fucking barnacle, both smiling for the camera outside some charity gala.
Two months.
I threw the phone onto the cushion beside me.
My jaw clenched.
After Michael's accident.
Michael. Perfect, golden Michael.
Heli-skiing in the Rockies without a helmet like the arrogant asshole he was. One bad landing, and now he was a vegetable in a private suite at MGH, machines doing everything but thinking for him.
And Julian—that bastard—had swooped in like a vulture. Dad brought him back from Cleveland, handed him Michael's projects, his team, his corner office.
"Family needs to stick together during hard times, Victoria."
I reached for my wine glass. Took a long swallow of Pinot Noir.
If Julian married Sienna, he wouldn't just have Dad's favor—he'd have the Hartleys backing him. Political connections. Social capital. The kind of leverage that could push him straight into the chairman's seat when Dad retired.
And where would that leave me? Where would that leave Mom?
Nowhere.
I couldn't let that happen.
---
Two days ago, I'd thought I had the perfect plan.
I'd tracked Julian's calendar—not hard when you'd grown up learning how to hack your siblings' email passwords. I'd seen the meeting: Supplier lunch, boutique hotel near Faneuil Hall, 12:30 PM.
And I'd seen the other name on the guest list.
Maya Bennett.
I'd called Sienna that morning, voice dripping with fake concern.
"Sienna, honey, I need to tell you something. About Julian."
"What about him?" Sienna's voice had been sharp. Suspicious.
"He's... I think he's seeing someone. His assistant. I saw them together at—"
"Where?"
---
It had been a disaster.
Ten minutes later, Sienna had stormed out of the hotel restaurant, face flushed.
"You were right, Victoria!" She'd grabbed my arm. "Julian's totally into that bitch. Did you see how he looked at her?"
I'd blinked. "I told you. He doesn't like you, Sienna. You should just—"
"I'm not giving up." Sienna's eyes had blazed. "I always get what I want. And I want Julian Garrison."
"But he doesn't—"
"I don't care." Sienna had stepped closer, voice dropping. "I know what game you're playing, Victoria. You want to use me to sabotage Julian. But it's not going to work. I like him. And when we're married, I'll protect him. Even from you."
She'd clicked away in her Louboutins, leaving me standing there.
What the actual fuck?
I'd wanted to throw something.
That stubborn bitch. What does she even see in Julian?
---
Now, at 5:47 PM, I parked my orange McLaren outside Garrison Industries.
Maya Bennett pushed through the glass doors, coat over one arm, tote bag slung over her shoulder.
I got out of the car. Heels clicking. Leopard-print coat flaring.
"Maya!"
Maya's head snapped up.
"Ms. Garrison." Maya's voice was carefully neutral. "I'm on my way home. If you need something from Julian—"
"I need to talk to you." I closed the distance between them. "Just a few minutes. I promise."
Maya glanced at her phone. "I have to pick up my daughter from daycare. If I'm late—"
"You have a kid?"
I didn't bother hiding my shock.
Maya was—what, twenty-six? She looked young. Dressed young. Acted like she'd never even touched a man, let alone pushed one out of her vagina.
"Yes." Maya's chin lifted slightly. "Amy's four."
"You're married?"
"Does a woman need to be married to have a child, Ms. Garrison?"
My smile spread slow and sharp.
Oh, this is even better than I thought.
"Not married is perfect."
Maya sighed. "What do you want?"
"What do you think of Julian?"
Maya's eyebrows drew together. "I'm sorry?"
"Julian. My brother. What do you think of him?"
"He's my boss—"
"He's in love with you."
Maya went very still.
I leaned in, voice dropping to something conspiratorial. "He told our father he wants to marry you. Did you know that?"
Maya's face stayed carefully blank.
I circled slowly. "Julian's serious about you, Maya. Serious enough to tell Dad he wants to marry you. You're a single mom. He could give you everything. Financial security. A father for your daughter. You wouldn't have to worry about money ever again—"
"I'm not interested in Julian romantically." Maya's voice was firm. "He's my employer. That's all."
"Really? Because Julian doesn't seem to think so—"
"I don't care what Julian thinks." Maya took a step back. "Ms. Garrison, I know what you're trying to do. You want to use me to break up his engagement to Sienna. The answer is no."
She turned toward the parking garage.
I grabbed her arm.
"Maya, you don't understand. If you don't help me, Julian's going to marry Sienna. And when he does, he'll inherit everything. My family will have nothing."
Maya yanked free. "That's not my problem."
"Don't be naive. Sienna Hartley won't let Julian keep you around. The second they're married, you're fired. You'll lose your job, your income, everything you've worked for—"
"Then I'll find another job." Maya's eyes flashed. "Ms. Garrison, Julian and I have a professional relationship. Nothing more. If you want to sabotage his engagement, find someone else to be your puppet."
She walked away.
I stood there, watching her disappear into the parking garage, my hands clenched into fists.
Stubborn little bitch.
My heel stamped against the pavement.
---
I pulled out my phone and dialed Mom.
She picked up on the second ring. "Well? Did she agree?"
"No." I slammed the McLaren door shut. "Maya turned me down. Said she's not interested in Julian."
Mom snorted. "Of course she said that. That's what women like her do—they play hard to get. Trust me, she's already working her hooks into him. She's just smart enough not to get caught."
"You think?"
"I know." Mom paused. "Your father won't approve of Julian marrying his assistant. If she gets caught pursuing him, she's fired. So she'll be careful. But that doesn't mean she's not doing it."
"Then what do we do?" I started the engine. "We can't just let Julian marry Sienna. If the Hartleys back him—"
"We don't need Maya's cooperation." Mom's voice dropped, cold and calculating. "We just need to give them... opportunities. Put them in the right place at the right time. And make sure Sienna sees it."
I felt my smile return. "What kind of opportunities?"
"The kind that can't be explained away. The kind that makes Sienna Hartley walk away from this engagement in disgust." Mom's tone sharpened. "Remember, Victoria—it needs to be big. Big enough that the Hartley family is humiliated. Big enough that they never want to hear Julian's name again."