Chapter 5
The botanical conservatory was a cavernous dome of wrought iron and thick glass, filled with the humid, earthy scent of blooming orchids and tropical ferns. Sunlight filtered through the dusty panes, casting dappled patterns across the stone pathways where rare exotic plants flourished. Victoria Sterling sat at a wrought-iron table near the central fountain, sipping sparkling water from a crystal glass. She wore a tailored cream-colored linen suit, her blonde hair pulled back into a severe, elegant knot. As Sloane walked down the paved aisle, her heels clicking rhythmically against the stone, Victoria did not stand up to greet her; she merely watched her approach with a cool, calculating gaze.
Sloane stopped at the opposite side of the table, remaining standing. She wore a deep navy sheath dress that accentuated her poise, her posture immaculate, her expression entirely neutral. "Victoria," she said, her voice calm and controlled. "You requested this meeting. I assume it wasn't to admire the ferns."
Victoria set her glass down with a faint clink against the iron table. "Cut to the chase, Sloane. I respect efficiency," Victoria said, her tone dripping with condescension. "Your husband has been making aggressive inquiries into the historical preservation fund. My attorneys have flagged his firm’s activity. Let’s be adults about this. Julian is fighting a battle he cannot win. The board is loyal to me, and whatever paperwork he thinks he has found is easily explained away as administrative oversight."
Sloane maintained her composure, refusing to let Victoria’s arrogant facade rattle her. She remembered Julian’s words from the morning: play this by the book. "If it is merely an administrative oversight, Victoria, then you should have no objection to a full, independent forensic audit conducted by an outside agency," Sloane replied smoothly, leaning slightly forward to place her palms flat on the table.
Victoria’s carefully rehearsed smile faltered for a fraction of a second, a micro-expression of genuine panic flashing across her eyes before she quickly masked it. "You are playing a dangerous game, Sloane. You and your husband are newcomers to this circle. You think wealth buys you class, but you don't understand how this city actually works. I can ensure that your name is dragged through the dirt so thoroughly that you will never be able to show your face at a public function again."
"Is that a threat?" Sloane asked quietly, her voice entirely devoid of fear.
"It is a statement of fact," Victoria snapped, losing a fraction of her composure as she stood up to tower over the table. "Drop the investigation, or suffer the consequences."
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From behind a massive screen of giant monstera leaves ten feet away, Julian stepped out onto the path. His dark tuxedo jacket was gone, replaced by a sharp charcoal vest over a crisp white shirt, but his intense brown eyes burned with the same suppressed fury from the ballroom. He walked slowly toward them, his boots crunching softly on the gravel.
"The conversation is over, Victoria," Julian said, his deep voice echoing under the glass dome. He pulled a thick manila folder from under his arm and dropped it squarely onto the center of the table, right beside her crystal glass. "That is a complete package of your financial irregularities, complete with bank routing numbers and email confirmations. It has already been dispatched to the federal prosecutor's office. The only question remaining is whether you walk out of here with your dignity, or in handcuffs."
