Richard stared at her.
"You don't understand who you're dealing with."
Naomi looked at him.
"I understand exactly."
"You think your little ledger can destroy me?"
"I don't need to destroy you."
She stepped closer.
"The truth will do whatever it needs to do."
Richard's face hardened.
"You'll regret this."
Naomi smiled.
"Maybe."
She walked away.
That evening, Daniel arrived at Richard's office.
"She refused."
Richard didn't look up.
"Of course she did."
"What now?"
Richard turned.
"Now we make sure nobody believes her."
The plan was simple.
A newspaper would publish an article questioning Naomi's credibility.
Another would suggest she had stolen confidential documents.
Someone would leak a story claiming she had manipulated the language challenge for attention.
Richard had done this before.
Destroy the messenger.
Then nobody asks about the message.
But Richard underestimated one thing.
Naomi had spent years listening.
And she knew exactly how powerful a recorded conversation could be.
Because during his conversation with her at the restaurant, one of the security cameras had captured everything.
Including the moment he threatened her daughter.
Including the offer.
Including his admission that he knew about the ledger.
And Daniel had made one mistake.
He had forgotten that the restaurant's security system automatically backed up footage to a remote server.
Naomi had the recording.
Now she had proof.
She just needed somewhere safe to release it.
The Room Went Silent
Three days later, the Imperial Garden was packed.
Richard had organized a major business dinner.
Investors.
Lawyers.
Journalists.
Bankers.
City officials.
Everyone important was there.
Richard stood at the front of the room.
Tonight, he planned to announce the renewed Harbor Point project.
He intended to close the deal publicly.
Once the contracts were signed, the old allegations would become much harder to investigate.
Richard smiled.
"Thank you all for coming."
Applause.
He continued.
"Tonight marks a new chapter."
At the back of the room stood Naomi.
She wore the same black uniform.
But she wasn't carrying a tray.
She was holding a folder.
Mr. Chen stood beside her.
Emily was there too.
Richard saw them.
His smile disappeared.
"Naomi."
She walked forward.
"Mr. Coleman."
"What are you doing here?"
"I work here."
"You should be serving tables."
Naomi looked around the room.
"I think tonight I have something more important to serve."
Several people laughed nervously.
Richard's face tightened.
"What?"
"The truth."
Silence.
Naomi placed the blue ledger on the table.
Everyone stared.
Richard's face went pale.
"This is absurd."
Mr. Chen stepped forward.
"No."
He looked at the room.
"This ledger contains records from the original Harbor Point project."
Richard laughed.
"Twenty-year-old records?"
"Yes."
"Meaningless."
Emily spoke.
"We had them independently verified."
Richard stopped smiling.
A lawyer approached.
"What do they show?"
Mr. Chen answered.
"Undisclosed transfers."
The room erupted in whispers.
Richard raised his voice.
"These accusations are ridiculous."
Naomi stepped forward.
"Then you won't mind hearing the recording."
Richard froze.
Naomi handed a phone to the event's sound technician.
The technician hesitated.
Mr. Chen nodded.
The recording began.
Richard's voice filled the room.
"You have a daughter."
Silence.
Then:
"You should reconsider."
Then Naomi's voice.
"I don't sell silence."
Then Richard.
"You'll regret this."
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
The room was completely silent.
Richard looked around.
"That recording proves nothing."
A journalist stood.
"Mr. Coleman, did you threaten her?"
"No."
Another journalist stood.
"Did you offer her $100,000 to abandon the investigation?"
"No."
Naomi looked at him.
"Then what was the money for?"
Richard couldn't answer.
The room turned against him.
One investor stood.
"I want my lawyer."
Another said:
"I'm withdrawing."
A third demanded:
"We need an independent audit."
Richard shouted:
"Everyone sit down!"
Nobody listened.
Then Mr. Chen spoke.
"Richard."
Richard turned.
"You once believed money could make everyone silent."
Mr. Chen paused.
"But you made one mistake."
Richard stared at him.
"What?"
"You forgot that people can speak to each other."
The room erupted.
People began standing.
Some left.
Some called lawyers.
Some called reporters.
The Harbor Point deal collapsed within minutes.