Chapter 34 · Her Name

"Read the bylaws again, Ms. Vale." Dominic Reyes said my name like it tasted bad, and he set the file down hard enough to rattle the water glasses. "Family signature only. You're not family. You're a woman who got her contract torn on camera."

The boardroom went quiet, all fourteen chairs, all fourteen sets of eyes swinging to me and then to Luca like they were waiting for him to bleed first.

"That was a private matter," I said. My voice didn't shake. I made sure of it.

"It's on the internet, sweetheart. Six million views." Dominic slid a printout across the table. My old name, my maiden name, circled in red. VALE, N. — NO LEGAL STANDING TO CO-SIGN VOSS HOLDINGS. "You've been running the books for four months on a contract that doesn't exist anymore. Every wire transfer you approved, every account you touched — it's all exposed. Anyone want to guess what a federal audit does to that?"

Luca hadn't moved. He was in the chair at the head of the table, jacket off, sleeves rolled, looking at Dominic the way he looks at a number that doesn't add up.

"Finish," Luca said. Two words. Quiet ones.