“I’m not here to fight with you over Marcus,” she said.
“Then you should leave.”
“I know you control Evergreen.”
A chill traveled down Claire’s spine, but she kept her expression neutral.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Marcus is intelligent, but he believes he is far more intelligent than he actually is. I researched your father before he ever thought to.”
Sabrina sat down without being invited.
“Authorize the expansion and give me a formal position in the project. In return, I’ll persuade Marcus to make the divorce easy.”
“And if I say no?”
“I’ll give the board everything I have gathered. Together, Marcus and I can create a very convincing version of you—massive debt, emotional instability, abandonment of your job, and missing medication from the ICU.”
“I never stole medication.”
“The truth becomes less important when someone manufactures the evidence first.”
Claire glanced toward the phone lying facedown on the table.
It had been recording since Sabrina entered the house.
“No,” Claire said.
“You should think carefully.”
“I already have.”
Sabrina smiled.
“Then we are at war.”
That same evening, Marcus filed for divorce.
He also requested sole custody of their seven-year-old daughter, Sophie.
In the petition, he described Claire as emotionally unstable, financially reckless, and dangerously obsessed with the hospital.
He claimed that she had suffered a public breakdown before being fired and that her behavior placed their child at risk.
Claire sat at the kitchen table reading every page.
When she reached the section asking the court to prohibit unsupervised contact with Sophie, her hands started shaking.
