Chapter 68 Return to New York
Emily/Evelyn's POV - Private Jet - 6:47 AM
The flight back to New York was tense and silent.
Adrian sat across from me, reviewing notes for his presentation to the board. His face was drawn, exhausted, but his eyes were sharp with determination. Marcus sat beside him, occasionally pointing out potential questions or challenges they might face.
Vanessa occupied a seat near the back, staring out the window with an expression of profound emptiness. Dr. Morrison sat with her, occasionally speaking in low tones I couldn't hear.
And I sat in the middle, physically and metaphorically between everyone, trying to organize thoughts that refused to be organized.
In less than six hours, Adrian would walk into a boardroom full of people who wanted to declare him mentally incompetent. He would have to convince them he was capable of running a billion-dollar company while simultaneously dealing with memory manipulation, assassination attempts, and a pregnancy situation so complicated it defied easy explanation.
And I was supposed to help him.
Me. A woman who didn't know her real name, whose entire identity was built on lies, who had apparently created the weapon being used to destroy us all.
"You're spiraling," Adrian said quietly, looking up from his notes.
"How can you tell?"
"Because you're doing that thing where you wrap your arms around yourself like you're trying to hold all the pieces together," Adrian said. "And your breathing gets shallow. I've noticed."
Despite everything, I smiled slightly. "You've been paying attention."
"Always," Adrian said. He closed his laptop and moved to sit beside me. "Talk to me. What are you thinking?"
"That I'm terrified," I admitted. "That walking into Cole Enterprises feels like walking into a building where I don't belong. Where everyone will look at me and know I'm a fraud."
"You're not a fraud," Adrian said firmly.
"I'm a woman with three different identities, none of which might be real," I countered. "I'm pregnant with your child but I can't prove we had a genuine relationship instead of a manipulated one. I'm supposedly a brilliant neuroscientist but I can barely remember how to tie my shoes some mornings. How is that not fraud?"
Adrian took my hand. "Because fraud implies intentional deception. You're not deceiving anyone. You're a victim trying to survive. There's a difference."
"The board won't see it that way," I said.
"The board won't know about any of it," Adrian said. "As far as they're concerned, you're Lila James, my partner, who was injured in the same crash that nearly killed me. That's all they need to know."
"And if they ask about Vanessa?"
Adrian glanced toward the back of the plane where Vanessa sat. "We tell them the truth that she was the victim of an elaborate fraud designed to manipulate both of us. That we're helping her recover from that trauma. It's not a complete answer, but it's enough."
"Is it?" I asked. "Because from where I'm sitting, we have more questions than answers. And walking into that boardroom with uncertainty feels like suicide."
"Then we fake certainty," Adrian said. "We walk in like we know exactly what we're doing, like we're in complete control, like there's no doubt in our minds that I'm fit to run this company. And we don't give them any ammunition to use against us."
"That's a lot of performance for someone who just woke from a coma a few days ago," I said.
"I've been performing my entire life," Adrian said quietly. "Being the perfect CEO, the strategic son, the calculated businessman. At least this time, I'm performing for something that matters protecting the people I care about."
He squeezed my hand, and I felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders.
"What if I remember?" I asked suddenly. "What if we're in the middle of this board meeting and my memories of being Dr. Evelyn Grant come flooding back? What if I remember everything I did, everyone I hurt?"
"Then we deal with it," Adrian said. "But Emily—or Evelyn—whoever you are I need you to understand something. Whatever you did in the past, whatever mistakes you made, you're trying to fix them now. That counts for something."
"Does it?" I whispered. "Does trying to fix a mistake erase the harm it caused?"
"No," Adrian admitted. "But it's better than not trying at all."
Cole Enterprises Headquarters - 11:47 AM
The building looked exactly as I remembered from my brief time working here as Lila James.
Sleek. Modern. Imposing. A monument to corporate power and family legacy.
Security met us at the private entrance not the friendly guards I'd known, but an entirely new team. Marcus's people, I realized. Brought in specifically to ensure our safety.
"The board meeting is scheduled for one PM," Marcus said as we entered the private elevator. "That gives us an hour to prep, review strategy, and make sure everyone knows their role."
"What is my role exactly?" Vanessa asked. She'd been silent for most of the flight, but now her voice carried a sharp edge. "The fallen woman? The victim? The cautionary tale?"
"You're a witness," Adrian said firmly. "Someone who can testify to the extent of Stirling-Hale's manipulation. Your presence shows the board that I'm not the only victim, that there's a larger conspiracy at work."
"Assuming they believe me," Vanessa said.
"They will," Adrian said. "Because unlike me, you have no vested interest in defending my competence. If anything, you have every reason to want me removed from power. The fact that you're here supporting me that carries weight."
Vanessa nodded slowly. "All right. I can do that."
The elevator opened directly into Adrian's private office suite. It was exactly as I remembered floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, minimalist furniture, every surface clean and organized.
But something felt wrong.
"Adrian," I said quietly. "When was the last time you were here?"
"Before the crash," Adrian said. "Why?"
"Because everything is too perfect," I said, moving slowly through the space. "No dust, no stale air, nothing out of place. Someone's been maintaining this office. Recently."
Marcus immediately went on alert. "Everyone stay back."
He did a quick sweep of the space, checking drawers, looking behind furniture, examining anything that could conceal surveillance equipment or weapons.
"Clean," he announced after five minutes. "But Emily's right someone has been in here. Recently. Probably within the last twenty-four hours."
"My parents?" Adrian suggested.
"Maybe," Marcus said. "Or someone with access to this floor who wanted to send a message. That they can reach you anywhere, anytime."
The thought made my skin crawl.
A knock at the door made everyone jump.
"Mr. Cole?" A woman's voice, professional and measured. "It's Jennifer Hayes, your executive assistant. May I come in?"
Adrian looked at Marcus, who nodded after checking his phone presumably verifying her identity.
"Come in," Adrian called.
The door opened to reveal a woman in her early forties, professionally dressed, with the efficient demeanor of someone who'd been managing executives for decades.
"Mr. Cole," she said, her voice catching slightly. "I—we all thought you were dead. The news reports, your parents' statement—" She composed herself quickly. "I'm so glad you're alive."
"Thank you, Jennifer," Adrian said. "I apologize for the confusion. The situation has been... complicated."
"I can imagine," Jennifer said. Her eyes flicked to me, then to Vanessa, then back to Adrian. "The board is assembling in Conference Room A. They've requested that you arrive by 12:45 to allow time for preliminary discussions."
"Who's on the board now?" Adrian asked.
Jennifer pulled out a tablet. "Sixteen members present. Your father is chairing. Your mother stepped down this morning, citing conflict of interest."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "Eleanor stepped down?"
"Effective immediately," Jennifer confirmed. "She said it was to ensure the board's decision would be impartial. But Mr. Cole—" She hesitated. "I should warn you. The mood in there is not friendly. Several board members have been quite vocal about their concerns regarding your fitness to lead."
"Let me guess," Adrian said. "Led by Richard Harrington and David Chen?"
"Among others," Jennifer confirmed. "They've been preparing their case for the past three days."
"Of course they have," Adrian muttered. He looked at Marcus. "Harrington and Chen both have financial ties to Stirling-Hale. I tried to investigate it months ago but couldn't find enough evidence to act on."
"So they're the inside men," I said. "The ones feeding information to Stirling-Hale, making sure the board moves against you at exactly the right moment."
"Exactly," Adrian said. He turned back to Jennifer. "Who's supporting me?"
"Your father, obviously, though she's been noncommittal." Jennifer paused. "That's four votes out of sixteen. You need nine to maintain your position."
"So I need to convince five more board members that I'm competent," Adrian said. "In roughly one hour. While dealing with recovery from a coma, memory manipulation, and assassination attempts."
"No pressure," Marcus said dryly.
Jennifer looked confused but didn't ask questions. "Is there anything you need me to prepare? Documents, presentations, evidence?"
"Actually, yes," Adrian said. He pulled out a flash drive a copy of the Project Tabula Rasa files we'd recovered. "I need this information compiled into a presentation. Nothing too detailed, just enough to show a pattern of corporate conspiracy targeting Cole Enterprises executives."
"Including yourself?" Jennifer asked carefully.
"Especially me," Adrian confirmed. "Can you have it ready in thirty minutes?"
"Consider it done," Jennifer said, taking the drive. She paused at the door. "Mr. Cole? For what it's worth I'm glad you're back. This company hasn't been the same without you."
After she left, Adrian sank into his desk chair. "Five votes. I need to secure five votes in the next hour."
"Start with the ones who are undecided," I suggested. "The ones who haven't committed to either side yet. They're your best chance."
"Margaret Liu will help," Adrian said. "She's been my father's ally for twenty years. If I can get her to make calls, reach out to the undecided members before the meeting—"
"Do it," Marcus said. "Every advantage we can get."
Adrian picked up his phone and dialed.
While he talked strategy with Margaret Liu, I moved to the window, staring out at the city below.
Somewhere out there, Stirling-Hale was watching. Waiting. Planning their next move.
They'd tried to kill us and failed.
They'd tried to manipulate our memories and partially succeeded.
Now they were trying to destroy Adrian's credibility, remove his power, eliminate his ability to fight back.
And I had a terrible feeling that the board meeting was just the opening move.
That the real attack was still coming.