Chapter 5

The tires of the G-Wagon crunched over the white gravel driveway of the Bass Estate.

Carli parked the car next to the massive stone fountain. She took a deep breath, grabbed the manila envelope, and stepped out.

The front door opened before she reached the steps. The butler stood there, his face completely blank. He didn't say a word as she walked past him.

Carli stepped into the grand living room. The giant crystal chandelier cast a cold, harsh light over the marble floors.

Lilah was sitting on the velvet sofa. She was holding a hand mirror, admiring a heavy diamond necklace around her neck.

When Lilah saw Carli, she immediately put on a fake, sweet smile. "Carli! You're here!" She stood up and reached out to hug her.

Carli ignored her arms. She walked past Lilah and sat down on the opposite sofa. Her eyes locked onto the diamonds. It was Edna's necklace. Her chest tightened with anger.

Keri walked into the room carrying a cup of coffee. She looked at Carli's black suit and sneered.

Keri tossed a thick, gold-embossed invitation onto the glass coffee table. "Keep that safe. You are not leaving Lilah's side tonight. You will introduce her to the Gutierrez board members."

Carli didn't look at the invitation. She slowly unwound the string on the manila envelope. She pulled out the thick stack of trust transfer papers.

She slapped the papers down onto the glass table. The sound was sharp.

"Sign the papers giving up your management rights," Carli said. "Or Lilah doesn't get past the front door tonight."

Keri's face turned red. "How dare you speak to me like that! You are embarrassing this family over pennies!"

"Pennies?" Carli's voice was like ice. "You've been illegally skimming ten percent of the trust dividends for the last three years."

Keri gasped. Panic flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by rage. She slammed her coffee cup down. "You ungrateful little bitch!"

Lilah immediately hid behind Keri's arm. She squeezed out two fake tears. "Mom, why does she hate me so much? I just want to go to the party."

Carli rolled her eyes. She tapped her knuckles against the glass table. "Sign it."

The heavy oak doors of the second-floor study suddenly swung open. Howard, Carli's father, walked out. His face was dark with fury.

His heavy footsteps echoed through the room as he walked down the stairs. He radiated absolute, suffocating authority.

He walked up to the sofa. He didn't look at the papers. He pointed a thick finger at Carli. "Apologize to your mother. Right now."

Carli tilted her head up. She looked her father in the eye. "No."

Howard's eyes widened. No one ever told him no. He snatched the papers off the table. He read the first page. He saw the demand for full control.

He let out a cruel laugh. He grabbed the thick stack of papers and ripped them in half. The sound of tearing paper filled the room.

Keri and Lilah smiled.

Howard threw the torn pieces at Carli's chest. The papers fluttered to the floor. "If you don't do exactly as you're told tonight, I will freeze every credit card in your name."

Carli didn't move. She didn't blink.

She reached into her bag. She pulled out three identical copies of the agreement. She set them on the table.

"If I don't get a signature right now," Carli said, her voice dead calm, "the IRS gets an anonymous email tomorrow morning detailing exactly how Bass Corporation hides its offshore accounts."

The air in the room vanished. Howard's face turned purple. The war had officially begun.