Chapter 34: Caught? No way!
The notification only strengthened Violet’s unease. If his trust percentage had drastically dropped from 90% to 20%, that meant something was wrong.
She clutched her purse tighter, trying to keep a neutral expression despite how fast her heart was racing.
"I hope you haven’t been waiting long." she said, walking toward the velvet couch Leo gestured to.
Leo rose from behind the desk. "No, you came right on time." He took the seat opposite her, and the man who’d been sitting in front of him earlier did the same.
Violet felt a thick lump rise in her throat, her composure slipping with each second that ticked by. She had explicitly warned him not to discuss this with a third party, since it only created more chances for their arrangement to unravel, and from the looks of things, he’d completely disregarded that.
She studied the man whose expression was as cold as ice. He sat straight-backed, like someone with a mission he wouldn’t abandon until he succeeded.
"This is Jeremy, he’s the special adviser I consult before finalising any investment contract."
Violet nodded, urging him to continue. "He had a few questions, because he finds some things, hmm... a bit," Leo paused, searching for the right words before settling on, "suspicious."
Last night he’d sent her that excited text, influenced by her conversation with Dominic. But he never made investments without consulting Jeremy first.
He’d told him how he’d met Violet, and every detail of their interactions over the past week. Jeremy had listened keenly and immediately began picking apart the flaws.
Before he’d even arrived, he was already convinced she was a fraud, and he’d come here today planning to expose her.
Her breath hitched at his words. "And what questions might you have, Mr...?"
"Jeremy," the man supplied, the name slipping from his lips like a spell.
"Jeremy." Violet repeated, adjusting in her seat. Her palms had gone clammy with sweat, and she wished she had something to hold onto. Would it be suspicious to ask for a cup of coffee or tea? "Ask your questions. I’ll do my best to answer them."
"I find your identity questionable." he began. "I’ve dealt with Jill and Jones on multiple occasions, and I’ve never once heard your name. Secondly, Jill and Jones would never directly approach an investor. There are hundreds of companies and investors vying for a chance to work with them." He paused and tilted his head slightly.
"No matter how I look at it, there are simply too many holes here, which suggests you’re not who you claim to be, and have no real affiliation with Jill and Jones." he added.
Violet didn’t have the luxury of wasting time on him. Surely she could rely on her mind push or the persuasion card.
"I don’t expect you to know me, I’m no celebrity." Her words came out stern. She shifted her gaze to Leo. "Did you really invite me here just to embarrass me and label me a fraud?" she asked, her features sharpening.
"Don’t try to deflect, Miss Adams. If you truly are who you claim to be, then your identity shouldn’t be hard to prove."
Leo’s expression made it clear he agreed with Jeremy. "There was an event before the auction. I was there, along with the executives of Jill and Jones responsible for selecting investors. If you truly are who you claim to be, then tell me where you were seated, and what the event was for." His rough voice carried across the room.
Violet stayed silent, she hadn’t expected things to take such a strange turn.
This was the moment to use the persuasion card, so she blinked, and her system appeared before her.
"Do you truly think I—"
"Just prove it." Leo snapped, his eyes turning dangerously dark, something she’d never seen from him before. The air in the room thickened as both men’s piercing gazes settled on her.
She skipped past the insight panel and focused on the prompt that had popped up.
Do you want to use the Persuasion Card?
She was about to say yes when a knock sounded at the door. Whoever stood behind it didn’t wait for a response before pushing it open and stepping inside.
The system disappeared, and Violet watched as Vincent strode into the office, looking like someone who’d arrived in a hurry.
He stopped in front of Leo and bowed slightly in respect. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and handed Leo an iPad, completely ignoring Violet.
She twisted her lips to the side, wondering what could possibly be important enough for Leo to pause his own interrogation.
Leo’s brows furrowed as he read, then he turned to Vincent, who gave a subtle nod. He handed the iPad to Jeremy next.
Violet looked on, confused. There was nothing to do but wait.
"Are you sure?" Jeremy asked, his head still lowered over the screen.
"Yes. Miss Kierra’s identity has been verified. She attended the New Morgan Estate auction and was part of the executive team representing Jill and Jones. There’s also a verification from the Head of Business Development at Jill and Jones himself." he explained, maintaining a professional, analytical tone.
Upon hearing this, Violet arched a brow, her eyes settling on Vincent, her lips parting slightly. She couldn’t comprehend what he was saying, or why he’d say it at all.
Kierra Adams didn’t exist, not even within Jill and Jones’s own records. So where had he pulled this information from?
Vincent stared back at her from behind his glasses, his face completely unreadable. Something like intrigue flickered in his eyes, mostly hidden behind the round frames.
"Miss Adams, hmm... I think there’s been a mistake, we..." Leo’s voice had gone considerably softer.
Jeremy shrugged his shoulders hesitantly. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, but even he knew he couldn’t argue against all the proof Vincent had gathered.
"We were briefly sidetracked. I believe all suspicions have now been cleared, so we may proceed with the contract." Vincent had always been meticulous and trustworthy. He could never be wrong.
Everything had happened so fast that Violet hadn’t even had time to process it. Even Jeremy apologised before he left.
Leo clasped his hands together and rose from the couch. "We can sign whatever contract you have, right now." Those words caught her attention, softening her features instantly. "I hope Miss Adams won’t hold a grudge."
Grudge?
Nonsense, there was nothing like that on the table for her. In situations like this, plenty of people would have walked away out of wounded pride, but this was different for Violet.
Leo had already suspected her once, what was to stop him from suspecting her again? She’d deal with Vincent later, for now, securing the two billion mattered more.
"Verification is important. I don’t blame you for being careful." she said professionally. "We can proceed."
Over the next thirty minutes, all the documents were properly reviewed and signed by Leo. Afterward, he handed over a cheque, which she tucked securely into her purse.
Violet stood, and they shook hands. "Thank you for trusting us, Mr. Kings." She couldn’t quite hide the thrill in her voice. Before she left, her eyes lingered on Vincent.
Violet’s heels clicked sharply against the marble floor stretching out beneath her.
A rush of triumph coursed through her with every step, her lips curling into a small, private smile she couldn’t quite suppress. Two billion dollars, secured. This was, without question, her biggest win yet.
When she reached the underground parking lot, she found her car wasn’t where it should have been. Jen was supposed to be waiting for her.
She pulled out her phone, ready to call her.
"Miss Sullivan." A raspy voice called from behind her, and she froze. The hair on the back of her neck rose.
She slowly turned to find Vincent standing behind her, his crooked round glasses discarded, staring at her with a calm, unreadable intensity, as though he already knew every secret she’d worked so hard to keep buried.