Chapter 161
Aria's POV
"Enough, Aria! Come to my study. Now." William slammed his hand on the dining table, making the silverware jump and the crystal glasses tremble. His face had turned a dangerous shade of red, the vein at his temple pulsing visibly.
Victoria's lips curled into a satisfied smirk as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. She'd won this round, and she knew it.
I stood slowly, deliberately taking my time to fold my own napkin before placing it beside my half-eaten dinner. "Of course, Father," I replied, my voice a perfect blend of compliance and defiance. My eyes met Victoria's, making it clear that this battle was far from over.
The walk from the dining room to William's study felt like a march to an execution. I kept my head high, my shoulders squared. Whatever he had to say, I wouldn't cower.
William didn't speak until the heavy oak door closed behind us. He strode to his imposing mahogany desk but remained standing, his fingers gripping the back of his leather chair.
"Sit down, Aria," he commanded, gesturing to the chair across from his desk.
I chose the one farthest from him, crossing my legs and meeting his gaze directly. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me intimidated.
"You've always lacked discipline," he began, his voice measured but sharp. "Even as a child, you refused to follow rules. Your mother indulged that rebellious streak, but I've always known it would lead to trouble."
I bit back a retort about my mother. Bringing her into this would only escalate tensions.
"Is there something specific you'd like to discuss?" I asked instead. "I have work to finish."
His eyes narrowed. "You've been spying on your stepmother and your sister, haven't you? If Scarlett's incident two days ago had nothing to do with you, why would she blame you? And you've been defiing Victoria tonight, it's so ridiculous."
I refuted automatically, "I have no idea what you're talking about. If you think Scarlett being bullied is related to me, we can call the police."
His jaw clenched, and for a moment I thought he might explode with anger. Instead, he switched tactics.
"Is that how you like to call the cops, embarrass our family?," he asked, watching me carefully for a reaction. "Since you have such a strong sense of prevention, why is your office still being broken into?"
I kept my expression neutral. "News travels fast."
"It does when you're the vice president of a major corporation." He paused. "Strange that someone would target your office specifically, don't you think?"
"Not really. New executive, potential access to sensitive information... it makes sense." I shrugged, though internally I was analyzing his every word, wondering if he knew more than he was letting on.
"I want you to stop digging into the company's financial records," he said abruptly.
So that was it. The real reason for this summons.
"That's part of my job as VP," I replied coolly. "Due diligence requires—"
"It's not your place," he cut in. "Some matters are better left alone."
I leaned forward, dropping the pretense of casualness. "Why? What are you afraid I'll find?"
His expression hardened. "This isn't about fear. It's about respecting boundaries and chain of command."
"Boundaries?" I repeated incredulously. "I'm the vice president of Harper Group now. Those financial records fall under my purview."
"A position you've held for all of forty-eight hours," he snapped. "A position given to you as a courtesy."
"A courtesy?" My voice was quiet but dangerous. "Is that what you call it? Then tell me, why were you so willing to hand Harper Group over to an outsider rather than your own daughter?"
The question hung in the air between us, heavy with years of unspoken resentment. William's face flushed with anger, but before he could respond, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, jaw tight.
"This discussion isn't over," he warned, dismissing me with a wave of his hand.
I stood, smoothing my skirt. "You're right about that," I agreed, turning to leave. At the door, I paused. "By the way, I'll be skipping the board tomorrow. I have more pressing matters to attend to."
Without waiting for his response, I closed the door behind me.
Back in my room, I pulled out my phone and reviewed the security footage from my office once more. Julie Anderson's face was clearly visible as she rifled through my desk drawers. After watching her methodically search my files yesterday, I'd been calculating my next move. Now, after my confrontation with William, I was ready to act.
---
The next morning as soon as I went to work, I dialed her number. "Julie? It's Aria Harper. Can you meet me at the coffee shop across from the office in half an hour? I'd like to discuss something with you." My voice was honey-sweet, betraying nothing of my intentions.
"Of course, Ms. Harper," she replied, sounding surprised but pleased. "I'll be there."
"Wonderful. And Julie? Let's keep this between us for now."
I hung up and ignored the notification of a calendar invite from William's assistant for the board meeting. Let him wait. I had an intruder to confront.
Thirty minutes later, I walked into Evergreen Café and spotted Julie at a corner table, nervously fidgeting with her coffee cup. I approached the hostess and requested the VIP room in the back—a small, private space typically reserved for business meetings.
"Ms. Anderson," I called, approaching her table. "Thank you for coming. Would you mind joining me in the private room? What I'd like to discuss requires some... discretion."
Julie nodded eagerly, gathering her things and following me. Once inside the private room, I waited until the server had taken our orders and left before speaking.
"How are you finding the marketing department these days?" I asked casually, stirring my tea.
"It's good," she replied, visibly relaxing at the mundane question. "Busy with the new campaign launch, but I'm managing the team well."
"I'm sure you are. You've always been ambitious." I smiled, the expression not quite reaching my eyes. "Tell me, Julie, do you ever feel that your talents are underutilized at Harper Group?"
Her eyes lit up. "Sometimes, yes. I have ideas that could really elevate our brand positioning."
"I imagine that's frustrating," I said sympathetically. "To have the skills but not the position to implement them."
She nodded eagerly. "Exactly. I've been hoping for an opportunity to prove myself."
"Is that why you broke into my office yesterday?" I asked, my voice still pleasant but my eyes hard as flint.
Julie froze, her coffee cup halfway to her lips. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
I pulled out my phone and slid it across the table. On the screen was a perfectly clear image of Julie using a key card to enter my office when she thought no one was looking.
"The security cameras have excellent resolution," I remarked. "And there are several more images of you going through my files and copying information from my computer."
All color drained from Julie's face. "Ms. Harper, I can explain—"
"I doubt that," I cut in. "Corporate espionage is a serious crime, Julie. The police would be very interested in this footage."
"Please," she whispered, her composure crumbling. "Please don't call the police."
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't."
Julie's eyes darted around the room as if seeking an escape. Finding none, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
"It was just once," she pleaded. "I was looking for information on the new marketing budget allocation. I thought if I could see your plans, I could position myself better for the next promotion."
"By stealing confidential information?" I asked, my voice razor-sharp. "By violating trust and breaking company policy? That doesn't sound like executive material to me."
Julie's eyes welled with tears, and suddenly she slid from her chair, kneeling beside my table. "Ms. Harper, I was wrong. I never should have done it," she cried, her voice breaking. "If you report this, my career is over. I'll never work in marketing again."