The Queen Reborn: Claiming What's Mine novel · Chapter 16 of 32

Chapter 16: The Lobby

Delaney Labs was two floors of a renovated factory on the river, with a white reception desk and a brass sign that was still wrapped in plastic.

Cora walked into the lobby at ten o'clock, and Brent Maddox was already standing in the middle of it.

He had Kendra beside him, and four men in suits, and a reporter from the local station holding a camera on her shoulder.

The receptionist, a young man with a headset, was pressed against the wall.

"I told him you weren't in," the receptionist said. "He didn't care."

"It's fine," Cora said. "Thank you."

Ronan came in behind her and stopped at the door with his arms crossed.

Brent turned around.

His charcoal suit was perfect, and his face was gray.

"You went on television," he said, "and you told my clients to leave me."

"I told them to call me," Cora said. "They did the leaving themselves."

"Eleven accounts, Cora. Eleven, since six this morning."

"I know. I counted."

Behind him, the camera swung to her face and held.

"You stole them," Brent said, loud, for the room. "You took my life's work, and you went on a talk show with a cardigan and a sad story, and you stole them."

"It was never your life's work."

"I built Maddox Systems!"

"You built the logo," Cora said.

The reporter's mouth twitched.

Brent's jaw worked, and he took a step closer.

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