If I was going to be the CEO of Montgomery Group, I needed to be fully educated enough to hold any secrets above other people’s heads on top of the intricate inner workings of my company.

This was my new normal and–as much as I wanted to fight it–I had to be prepared for whatever would come my way. The company was becoming clearer to me through my continual readings, and Augustus Vaughn most likely expected another Maria.

Mr. Legal Counsel exchanged a knowing glance with Evans and I could easily read into what it meant. Again, these men sucked at subtlety. “Before we head into the meeting with the details you’ve requested, I would like to speak on a private legal matter with you.”

Evans nodded at him. “If I could have non-essential personnel leave the room for this.”

I tried to pay attention to body language to pick up on some cues. A few seemed relieved to put away their belongings and exit the room and others appeared completely unbothered by the request.

Sitting in my chair, inspecting my manicure, I hoped to mimic the unbothered look. “I’m here and now most of the board has been kicked out.”

Legal Counsel and Evans took their places at each side of me while I was at the head of the table. They each pulled out tablets, looking hesitant to start speaking.

They didn’t know I knew that they knew.

What a fun predicament.

“Your mother and Mr. Vaughn–”

I cut him off. “My mother supplied properties for Chamberlain Industries to operate in drugs and arms overseas and sometimes in country.”

Both of them went wide eyed. They must have assumed I knew nothing and wanted to ease me into it. Evans coughed a bit from hearing me speak so bluntly. “Well, yes. For this meeting it is imperative you approach with caution and not plain speak. He may assume you are aware of former–and current–arrangements and speak in a vague manner to avoid suspicion.”

I cut back in. “He may just expect a carbon copy of my mother. From what everyone keeps telling me, she was ferocious, no? I get that I’m green behind the ears from her not disclosing anything to me, but that’s not an answer we can get from her, now is it? So, stop treating me like a baby and tell me–in plain speak–everything about their relationship.”

The people closest to me kept me ignorant for so long like I’d never find out the reality of the shit the rich and wealthy got into. What the elites got into.

There was no way anyone in this world was clean, and I had to swallow the pill that my mother was one of them.