Chapter 7 - VANESSA TELLS THE TRUTH BADLY
Vanessa invited Eleanor to lunch.
Eleanor almost refused.
Then accepted.
Vanessa looked different.
No dramatic jewelry.
Simple dress.
No family necklace.
She slid a printed email across the table.
Internal law-firm memo.
SUCCESSOR OBSERVATION PLAN.
Daniel’s address visible in the accidental forward.
Eleanor stared.
“Where did you get this?”
“Someone at his firm hates him.”
“Convenient.”
“Yes.”
Vanessa leaned back.
“I’m not asking you to make me successor.”
Eleanor looked up.
That was unexpected.
“I failed your test.”
Eleanor said nothing.
“I was disgusting.”
Still nothing.
Vanessa swallowed.
“I thought she was a servant and I treated her like garbage.”
“Correct.”
“I’m not defending it.”
That was new.
Then Vanessa tapped the memo.
“But Sophie knew.”
Eleanor folded the page.
“Why tell me?”
Vanessa smiled without humor.
“Because if I lose to someone better, fine.”
Then:
May you like
“I’m not losing to someone who memorized the exam.”
For the first time, Eleanor believed her.
