Novels by fortammyblackwood

The hotel suite was quiet when I returned from dinner, but the moment I switched on the television, I understood why my phone had been buzzing all evening. Chloe’s face appeared beside a photograph of Damian, and the headline beneath them announced that police had reopened the investigation into my fall five years ago.I sat on the edge of the bed and turned up the volume.“Former Apex executive Chloe Bennett has been questioned by authorities following new evidence concerning an incident that left former secretary Sienna Reyes hospitalized,” the reporter announced. “Investigators are reportedly reviewing hospital records and speaking with witnesses who were present on the night of the incident. Neither Chloe Bennett nor her representatives have released an official statement.”For years, I had imagined what it would feel like to see Chloe face the consequences of her actions. I had pictured myself feeling satisfied, perhaps even relieved, when the truth finally came out. Instead, I w

Damian’s POVI lowered my phone after the call with the police and turned to Chloe, who was standing beside the sofa with her arms folded. She looked offended by my questions, but her reaction had done little to reassure me. The police wanted to discuss Sienna’s fall after five years of silence, and I couldn’t ignore the possibility that whatever they had discovered could damage what remained of my reputation.“Chloe, I’m asking you one more time. Is there something about that night you haven’t told me?”She scoffed and picked up her handbag. “You’ve been waiting for an excuse to blame me for everything since Sienna came back. You lose your position at Apex, she humiliates you in front of your board, and suddenly I’m the problem.”“I’m not talking about Apex’s board. I’m talking about the police investigating an incident that could become a scandal, and I need to know what I’m dealing with.” I stepped closer, keeping my voice low. “What exactly happened that night?”“I’ve told you wha

Chloe’s POVI was halfway through my morning coffee when my phone rang, and the moment I saw the private investigator’s number, I knew something had gone wrong. I had hired him to keep an eye on people connected to Sienna’s return, especially anyone who might have been around five years ago. The arrangement was supposed to give me peace of mind, not another reason to lose sleep.“What happened?” I asked as soon as I answered.“I have something you should see,” he replied. “I’m sending it to you now.”A second later, a message appeared on my screen. I opened the photograph and nearly dropped my phone into my coffee.Sienna sat at a small diner table across from a man I recognized immediately. He looked older than I remembered, with more grey in his hair, but I had no trouble identifying him. Martins Delgado had worked security at the Apex residence around the time Sienna fell down those stairs. He had been there that day, and I had spent five years believing he had taken the money Apex

Sienna’s POVI chose the diner because it was far enough from Apex that nobody would know me, and busy enough that nobody would notice two people in a corner booth. I came by taxi in a plain coat and a ball cap, with my driver left behind and my phone’s location switched off. It was a little past two. The lunch crowd had thinned to a few office workers, an elderly couple sharing fries, and a man by the window arguing on his phone. I arrived early, ordered coffee I barely touched, and watched the door. Marcus Delgado had sounded certain when he called the night before, but I had learned not to mistake nervousness for reliability.When he finally came in, he stopped just inside and scanned the room as though someone might be waiting for him. He was in his late forties, in a faded blue shirt and a jacket that had seen better days. His eyes found me, drifted to the window, and came back. I raised a hand slightly. He crossed the diner like a man considering turning around with every step.

(Sienna’s POV)I had been staring at the hospital records for almost twenty minutes when I realized I had read the same paragraph four times without taking in a single word. My office at Apex was quiet apart from the low hum of the air conditioner and the occasional sound of people passing in the corridor, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything outside the folder sitting in front of me. Five years ago, I had left Washington believing that whatever happened on that staircase would remain something I had to live with on my own. Now, someone had finally found the paperwork that should have been examined from the beginning, and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to keep reading or throw the entire folder across the room.My phone rang beside my laptop, and I picked it up when my lawyer’s name appeared on the screen. “I’ve gone through everything you sent me,” I said as soon as I answered. “Tell me what you found, because I don’t want to spend another afternoon reading medical terminology that

ChloeI was watching television when Damian came home that evening, but I turned down the volume as soon as I heard him drop his keys on the console. He walked past me without saying anything and went straight to the bar, where he poured himself a drink and swallowed half of it before putting the glass down. I watched him for a moment, waiting for him to explain what had happened at Apex, but he seemed so distracted that I wondered whether he had even noticed I was in the room.“What happened at work?” I asked.“Marcus happened,” he replied, reaching for his glass again.I sat up. “What did he do?”“He threatened me in the elevator after I was turned away from my own boardroom.” Damian let out a bitter laugh and loosened his tie. “Ethan stood outside that door telling me I wasn’t on the attendee list. Ethan, Chloe. The same man who used to arrange my schedule and make sure I never had to wait for anyone.”I had to resist the urge to laugh because the thought of Damian being stopped by