Chapter 6

Kaleb stared at her in disbelief. It took an enormous effort for him to find his voice, and even then, he couldn't stop it from trembling. "Khloe, what did you just say? What gives you the right to..."

"Because I have the power to do it." She lowered her phone. "Kaleb, I gave you a chance."

A surge of hot anger rushed straight to his head. All the emotions he'd been suppressing erupted at once, and he raised his hand—

Slap!

Khloe's face snapped to the side, a red mark quickly appearing on her cheek.

"Are you even human?!" he roared furiously. "My parents have treated you well all these years. They used their own resources and connections to help you rise, all because they were afraid you'd suffer even the slightest indignity!

"How much has the Monroe Group done for you over the years?! Even a dog would know to wag its tail after being fed for seven years! And now you want to acquire the Monroe Group and swallow up decades of my parents' hard work?!

"Do you even know what Diego Dougherty..."

"Khloe..." The lounge door opened, and Diego stood in the doorway. "I'm sorry, Kaleb. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have come back to the country. But Khloe has put half her heart and soul into the gallery too. You shouldn't destroy it because of me."

He started toward the door. "I'll take Lilah and leave. We won't appear in your lives again. Please, don't keep fighting because of me..."

Khloe grabbed him before he could leave. "Diego, you don't have to go. You're not the one who should apologize."

She turned to Kaleb. "I don't need to know what Diego has done. Whatever it is, I believe he has his reasons."

At that moment, Kaleb felt every sound around him gradually receding. Even the fury he could no longer contain began to dissipate.

He didn't want to argue anymore. He simply didn't want to look at either of them again.

Every additional word made him feel sick.

Kaleb turned and walked away, the hem of his coat sweeping behind him in a final, decisive arc as he left the place that had been suffocating him.

Outside the gallery, his phone vibrated. A message from Graham appeared on the screen.

[Mr. Monroe, all asset transfers and overseas legal documents have been finalized. Everything is ready for execution.]

He glanced calmly at the message, then opened another encrypted folder.

Inside was a due diligence report he'd kept under wraps, detailing several senior executives in the Allen Group's core management team who had close ties to Riverbend Gallery.

The report documented how they'd exploited Khloe's personal feelings for Diego to inflate prices and divert project funds into their own speculative investments.

Wasn't Khloe always so proud of how well she managed the company? Didn't she trust Diego completely?

Then he'd give her a gift and let her see just how many parasites were hiding among the people she trusted and the circles she protected.

Kaleb typed his reply.

[Good. Also, have Document D-7 sent anonymously to every independent director on the Allen Group's board first thing tomorrow morning.]

After sending the message, he put his phone away and glanced up at the gallery, which was still brightly lit. A cold curve touched his lips.

'Khloe, didn't you always think I was reckless and spoiled? Then this time, take a good look at what it really means to stop at nothing.'

Without slowing his stride, he got into his car and made another call.

"Professor Warren, the private jet is ready. When can we arrange for my father to be admitted to the hospital? Good. We'll leave tonight."

Kaleb returned to the hospital. Corrine was still keeping watch beside Waylon's bed.

"Mom, we're taking Dad to a better hospital. We're leaving now."

The private jet taxied down the runway before surging into the night sky.

Kaleb clasped his mother's cold hand and looked at his father, who was sleeping peacefully beside her.

Beyond the cabin window, the city where he'd lived for twenty-six years grew smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared beneath the clouds.