His Rival Fixed What He Broke novel · Chapter 13 of 24

Chapter 13: The Reason

"Let go," Margot said again.

He did, but only to steer her through the fire door beside the elevators.

The stairwell was bare concrete and cold.

Her heel rang on the landing, and she put her right hand in her jacket pocket and pressed the screen of her phone.

She had learned that on the twenty-eighth.

"You asked me to tell you why," Otto said, and leaned on the rail.

"Say it, then."

"Elias Brubaker and I built a company together when we were twenty-four."

"I know."

"Of course he told you. Did he tell you he wasn't much of a partner?" Otto's smile did not move. "He wanted the whole thing for himself, and I got there first."

"I met a bookkeeper in Oak Park who has your handwriting in a shoebox," Margot said. "Forty-one signatures, Otto."

His eyes flickered, once, and then the smile came back wider.

"Good for you. Then you've done half my work. Three years ago he was drafting a fair offer for your grandfather's company."

"I don't believe you."

"You don't have to. Ask him whether it's true."

Behind her the fire door opened.

Claire stepped onto the landing in her cream blazer, with her phone held against her chest.

"Otto," she said. "The chair is asking for you."

"In a minute, Claire. I'm explaining the marriage."

Claire's eyes went to Margot's jacket pocket, and stayed there a half second too long.

Then she looked at Otto, and said nothing, and did not leave.

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