"Xenia is all about the glitz and glamour, and you played right into her greed with a tempting offer she couldn't resist," Leanne said, laying out the situation with a hint of irony in her tone. "After all, Curtis is the man of the hour at VectorVista Bank, wealthy, talented, and blessed with a face too charming to turn down. Climbing up by his side would set her up for life."
"It's a golden opportunity, and of course, Xenia was thrilled. She was ready to go under the knife to make it happen while you didn't have to spend a dime."
Leanne finished calmly, and her voice tinged with a faint sarcasm. "Is that right?"
What did it matter that Grace introduced her to Curtis? Xenia was the one who wanted to transform from a nobody into a high-flyer. What did that have to do with Grace?
How could anyone prove Grace had instigated this? From start to finish, Xenia was the only one who benefitted. Grace had no motive.
"Give a dog a bad name and hang him," Grace retorted. "Leanne, I don't know why you're suspicious of me. Nothing I say would matter if you take her side, right?"
Ever the spectator, Joy cracked open some nuts and began munching, giving Grace a look that said, "Go on, keep talking. I'm all ears."
Grace turned to the only person she felt might still believe her. "Skyler, do you believe me?"
Skyler closed his eyes for a moment.
Sometimes, he chose to be willfully blind, but that didn't mean he couldn't see.
Growing up amidst intrigue and business battles of high society, he might be naive, but he wasn't foolish.
Grace grabbed Skyler's hand that hung by his side. "You said you'd always stand by me."
Skyler took a deep breath and addressed Leanne. "It's been a tough road for Grace. Let's not jump to conclusions without evidence."
Even Joy was impressed. "You're hopeless! She's got you wrapped around her finger."
"You want evidence?" Curtis, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke up.
Childhood friends who grew up together were on opposite ends at the time. It wasn't easy for Skyler.
"Yes."
Curtis' expression was hard to read, a mix of discomfort at being manipulated and something else.
He grabbed his phone, quickly said, "Let him in," into a call, and then hung up.
The door opened again, and Caleb, who was always polite, gestured for someone to enter. A man in his forties walked in, slightly overweight, dressed neatly, likely a collector of sorts, with several bracelets on his wrist and a silver ring with an inscription on his finger.
"Boss..." Xenia looked relieved to see him.
The newcomer was Daniel from the local theater. He ignored her and addressed Curtis respectfully, "Mr. Curtis, I'm sorry today's performance didn't meet your expectations. Maybe you and your wife could honor our theater with a visit sometime, and I'll ensure it's worth your while."
"Thanks for coming all this way," Curtis replied, his interest waning as he looked toward Skyler. "I've brought the person you wanted to see. Now, you get your answers directly.”
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