The Heiress He Underestimated novel Chapter 120

Chapter 120 A Better Lie

“It’s evil.”

“Those aren’t mutually exclusive.” Elera finished her coffee and held out the mug for a refill. Clara obliged. “Where’s Frost now?”

“In his office. Want me to call him up?”

“Please. And Clara? Thank you. For staying, for taking care of everyone, for being you.”

Clara’s expression softened. “That’s what friends do. Now eat something before Frost gets here. You look like you’ll blow away in a strong wind.”

Twenty minutes later, Elera had showered, changed into clean clothes, and was feeling approximately sixty percent herself. Frost appeared in the library with his ever–present tablet and his ever–present grim expression.

‘Mrs. Vex. I’m glad you’re rested. We have a situation.”

‘Clara filled me in on the basics. Someone’s investigating Nethys Medical?”

‘Not just investigating. They’ve hired a forensic accounting firm. The best in the business. The type that inds money trails no one else can find.” Frost pulled up documents on his tablet. “They started two weeks igo, right after your Raven Shadowmere reveal. Whoever hired them is serious and well–funded.”

Who’s behind it?”

That’s where it gets complicated. The firm was hired by a shell corporation, which is owned by another hell corporation, which eventually traces back to an offshore account we can’t penetrate. But I have my ¡uspicions.”

Let me guess. Either my father, Xan, or both of them working together.”

That’s my assessment. And Mrs. Vex, they’re going to find the connection between you and Nethys Medical. It’s only a matter of time. The paper trail is obscured, but it’s not invisible. A firm this good will ind it within a week, maybe two.”

Elera felt that familiar sensation of walls closing in. “So we’re back to the same question. Do I reveal it myself or let them expose me?”

“There’s a third option,” a voice said from the doorway.

They both turned to see Drakonius standing there, leaning on his cane but looking much better than he had forty–eight hours ago. “You’re supposed to be resting.” Elera said.

“I rested. Now I’m strategizing. It’s practically a rest compared to running a company. He came into the room and sat down carefully in one of the leather chairs. “The third option is that we give them something else to chase. A red herring.”

“I’m listening,” Frost said.

11:08 am PDXD.

Chapter 120 A Better Lie

10:41

Finished

“If they’re investigating Nethys Medical, they’re looking for financial connections to Elera. So we give them a connection, just not the real one. We create a paper trail showing that I’ve been investing in Nethys Medical for years. That I’m a major silent partner. That makes sense, given my pharmaceutical background. It gives them something to find that’s technically true but doesn’t expose Elera’s ownership.”

Elera stared at him. “That’s actually brilliant. But it would put you in the spotlight. Make you look like you’re profiting from my medical expertise. People would say you married me to get access to my work.”

“Let them say it. I don’t care what people think of me. I care about protecting you.”

“But your reputation…”

“Is already shot. I’m the dying billionaire who married a woman half his age right after she jilted another billionaire. People already think I’m either desperate or delusional. This doesn’t make it worse.”

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