AN: Warning for mentions of suicide and scenes of violence.
19
Andy opened her eyes before reaching a hand to the other side of the bed. When she found the other side of the bed empty and the sheets cold, she finally remembered that Miranda was not there.
"Damn," She thought, second-guessing her decision to send the woman away.
She quickly banished that thought knowing that disrupting the conspiracy against Miranda and the Genovian Crown, put them all in grave danger. The attack against Sam and what they'd planned for Miranda were real proof that these people had no compunction against violence.
With Miranda, Sam, and Emily safely away she knew that she needed to focus on protecting Miranda's twins
She checked the clock groaning when she confirmed she'd slept less than four hours. Despite the short period that she and Miranda had shared a bed, Andy had already grown accustomed to falling asleep with the older woman in her arms.
She slipped out of bed, knowing that continuing to lie there would do her no good.
Instead, she headed over to her oversized chair and ottoman, retrieving her laptop as she went.
She powered up her computer then logged into the Aphrodite anonymous email account. The first thing she saw was the message from Sam's Athena account.
She let out a snort of laughter as she interpreted the meaning of the emojis lining the bottom of the message.
She opened up her cloud server and found the encrypted file Sam had left there. When she clicked on the file, she was greeted with a dialog box requesting a fourteen-digit code.
Her mind drifted back to a day-long ago when she'd met a brash younger version of the Samantha she now knew.
The young woman had been full of herself. Of course, that attitude may have been what had allowed the nineteen-year-old to hit on a Harvard MBA student five years her senior. Despite their age difference, Andy had enjoyed their conversation and had unexpectedly found herself in Sam's dorm room, fucking her brains out just as the clock struck midnight.
She typed in the date and exact time the moment had occurred and was pleased to see the files unlocked.
She began reviewing the files and was once again impressed with how well Sam organized information. The Brant company had nearly collapsed after going all-in on mortgage-backed securities six months ahead of the market collapse known as the Great Recession.
Only an infusion of Greg's own money saved the company from certain bankruptcy, but it left him personally vulnerable if the company faltered again.
It wasn't until his bet that the Elias Clark stock would drop after Miranda's ouster, that the company fully recovered.
Planning on profiting from Miranda's misery a second time, Greg leveraged his company again. This time he'd purchased almost a quarter of the company's shares expecting to make a significant profit when the company made a surprising return to profitability.
Because of her and Sam's interference, the Brant Company had only eight hours to live and judging from his most recent emails, Greg had no idea of the freight train barreling down at him.
Andy felt no guilt about what was going to happen; Greg had made his choices.
Her focus was on how to use today's events to gain leverage. Leverage she could use to keep the twins safe and get them back into Miranda's arms.
Hours later, with her research done, Andy felt her course of action was clear. Her plan was audacious, but if she pulled it off, the rewards would make it worth the risk.
Later that morning, Andy walked into her office and was greeted by her new first assistant. The young woman was sporting a smile that matched the brilliance of the diamond she now wore dring on her left hand.
"Way to go, Kate," Andy thought happy that her former first assistant and current Deputy CEO had not disappointed the young woman standing before her.
"Good morning, Anna," Andy said in greeting.
"It has been a perfect morning," Anna replied, practically glowing.
Andy stifled a laugh at the near giddiness coming from the usually reserved woman.
"Can you let Kate know that I would like to see her in my office at her earliest convenience," Andy said.
"Of course, Andy," Anna responded, unable to wipe the smile off of her pretty face.
Ten minutes later, Kate breezed into Andy's office and presented herself as requested. Anna came in after her and poured them both a cup of coffee made according to both women's preferences. They both thanked the blonde woman as she handed over the gourmet brew. Andy watched as Anna placed a soft hand on Kate's shoulder, and the two exchanged happy smiles.
As Kate turned her attention towards her boss, Andy gave her deputy a knowing smile.
"What?" Kate asked.
"I was just thinking it was about damn time and that I'm happy for you both," Andy said, standing and approaching the woman she thought of as a friend.
Kate also stood, allowing Andy to pull her into a warm embrace.
"Congratulations," She said into Kate's ear.
"I'm happy for the both of you," Andy added.
"Thank you, Anna, and I are very happy," Kate said, recovering from the unexpectedly warm exchange.
"I bet," Andy thought, spying what looked suspiciously like a hickey peeking out from Kate's high colored blouse.
Andy offered Kate a seat, signaling that it was time to get back to business.
"I'm thinking of making a major acquisition today, and I'd like your opinion," Andy said.
"A major purchase," Kate echoed, reaching for her pen and pad.
"I believe Elias Clark is ripe for a takeover."
Kate looked thoughtful for a moment considering previous conversations they'd had about spreading the company's footprint into both digital and more traditional forms of media.
There were some real benefits both women knew given how much they spent on advertising.
"Why, Elias Clark," Kate asked?
"Our companies have a very similar customer base. Several of their brands still have strong readership despite their management troubles. The company is well-positioned to take advantage of both digital and social media platforms.
Kate took off her glasses and moved a little closer to Andy's desk before saying, "Andy, I would not be doing my job if I did not bring this up."
Andy mirrored Kate's action leaning in closer, feeling certain where Kate was going next.
"I understand Miranda Priestly is currently a guest in your home. Is this a business decision of a personal one?" Kate asked.
Andy was actually pleased that Kate had the stones to confront her on this issue.
"Sachs," Andy said.
"Pardon?" Kate asked, not getting the non-sequitur.
"Miranda Sachs is more than just a house guest; she's the person I intend to spend the rest of my life with."
"Oh," Kate said because she could think of anything else to say.
Well, she could have said that Anna was correct as usual, but she wisely kept that information to herself.
"As for your question, this deal is both business and personal to me."
Andy held up a hand when Kate opened her mouth to interject.
"That is why I asked you for your honest take. If you tell me that it's not in the company's best interest, I will proceed but, with my personal funds."
Kate sat back in her chair for a moment as she absorbed the meaning of Andy's words.
Anna appeared to be correct again; Andy was grooming her for something more substantial in the future.
"If she does, I should promote Anna into this position," Kate thought, realizing her fiance's ability to read people and situations was an invaluable resource.
Kate nodded her head, agreeing to Andy's terms and awed by the trust her boss was placing on her narrow shoulders.
"Why today?" Kate asked
Before Andy could respond, Kate answered her own question, "You're expecting a weak earnings report."
Andy was thoughtful for a moment, weighing her next words carefully.
"I'll be honest with you, Kate, I have inside knowledge about today's report that leads me to believe that the report will not be a good one.
Kate was thoughtful for a moment before saying, "When we move forward, we'll need to wait until after the report was released to avoid the Department of Justice coming after us for insider trading."
Andy told Kate how much she appreciated the other woman's frank manner before adding, "My plan is dependent on the stock price dropping after the announcement allowing us to gain control of EIC for a quarter of what I think the company is worth."
"OK, let me run the numbers and perform my due diligence, and I'll get back to you with a recommendation," Kate said.
"Let's get back together around three," Andy said, dismissing Kate to do her research.
The rest of Andy's morning went by in a blur, leaving her very little time to think about the woman she already missed desperately.
By the time she broke for a late lunch, she'd done a halfway decent job of tacking her formidable to-do list. Andy knew that she'd let things slip of late, even postponing a meeting with her board, but Miranda needed her, and she needed to put her first.
She had long term plans that would allow her to take a step back from the eighty-plus hour work weeks she'd been putting in over the last few years.
Promoting Kate was just the first step in a process that would allow her to be more available to Miranda and her new family.
When Kate knocked on her door precisely at three, Andy felt like she would be able to leave work at a reasonable time, which was a necessity tonight.
As soon as Kate sat, she began to speak, "You were right, the fundamentals of the company are stronger than the current stock price would indicate.
The company is being managed into the ground, almost as if it was done on purpose.
I believe with the right leadership; the company can become profitable again in under two years.
Therefore, I recommend that the company purchase the shares necessary to control the company. We dismiss the current CEO Mr. Ravitz, the entire board of directors, and begin an immediate search for a new Editor in Chief for Runway Magazine."
I will take all of your recommendations, but hold off on beginning the search for a new EIC at Runway," Andy said.
Kate nodded her head sagely but chose not to comment before leaving Andy's office to begin her preparations.
It turned out the news was far worse than even Andy expected, with the company posting a record-breaking loss. The stock price began a precipitous drop allowing Kate to buy the necessary number of shares for far less than she'd budgeted.
Kate smiled to herself before picking up her phone and dialing a number.
"It's done," she reported to her boss.
Her next call was to a certain blonde sitting some forty feet away.
When the line was answered, she spoke, "I think we should get married this weekend."
"Acceptable," the woman said then hung up the phone causing Kate to laugh into the disconnected line.
Later, as Andy left work, she was the majority owner of the Elias Clark Company.
When she climbed into the back of her chauffeured Bently, she greeted her longtime driver then told him," We need to make a stop on the way home."
A half an hour later, Andy stood in front of a large Upper Eastside townhouse. She rang the bell, and a pleasant woman in her sixties answered the door.
"Is Mr. Brant home?" Andy asked, pleasantly.
"Martha, who's at the door," came a voice from inside the townhouse.
"Someone to see you," Martha answered, standing back to allow Andy in.
Andy put on her poker face as Miranda's first husband and the father of the twins stepped into view.
He gave her an odd look, but recovered before saying, "I wasn't expecting visitors tonight."
"I called your office, but they told me that you were working from home today. Since I believe our business is urgent, I decided to come to you."
Before Greg could formulate a response, Caroline and Cassidy came to investigate the unexpected guest.
Both girls gave Andy broad smiles causing the woman to smile back.
Greg looked back and forth between his girls and the woman standing before him, trying to figure out what he was missing.
"I'm sorry, but do we know each other?" Greg asked.
"No, we haven't. I'm Andy Sachs, and as I mentioned, there are matters that we need to discuss tonight."
"Why don't you girls go get yourself a snack, while Ms. Sachs and I talk in my study," Greg said.
"OK, Dad," Cassidy said, pulling her sister along with her.
"Bye, Andy," Caroline said over her shoulder.
Andy waived at the girls retreating forms before turning her attention back to their father.
"Let's talk in my study."
"Lead the way."
As she entered the study, Andy took a moment to appreciate the beautiful woodwork on the bookcases lined walls.
"Would you like a drink?" Greg asked, pulling Andy from her thoughts.
"Sparkling water if you have it," Andy responded.
He retrieved two bottles from a chiller before handing one over, then offering her a seat.
They sat in a pair of vintage leather wing chairs as Greg turned his full attention to his guest, "What can I do for you, Miss Sachs?
Andy had no intention of prevaricating said, "It's more about what I can do for you, Mr. Brant. And its Mrs."
"OK, I'll bite, What can you do for me, Mrs. Sachs."
Andy gave him a tight smile before offering, "I'm here to give you a chance to do the right thing when it comes to your former wife's access to her children."
"What is this?" Greg said as his face clouded with anger and something Andy thought might be guilt.
"The girl's mother, my former wife, died," Greg stated firmly, though Andy could hear the doubt in his voice.
"No, Mr. Brant, I can assure you that Miranda is very much alive and well."
"Do you know that for certain?" He asked.
"I can assure you that Miranda is perfectly safe. With no thanks to you," she felt compelled to add.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Greg asked though it was clear from his tone that he knew precisely what she meant.
"I am referring to your decision to kick Miranda when she was already down on the ground."
"You don't know what you're talking about," he countered.
"You took away all access to her children, just after she was fired from Runway," Andy pointed out, her anger rising to the surface.
"I knew the custody decision was difficult on her, but I wanted to do what was best for my girls."
Deciding she heard quite enough bullshit, Andy cut him off, saying, "Despite what you may tell yourself, we both know that isn't true."
Greg looked like he wanted to interrupt. Still, Andy plowed ahead, "I know about your scheme to profit from Miranda's dismissal from Runway and then again when Elias Clark suddenly returned to profitability today."
Greg stiffened at the mention of today's fiasco, then he stood and paced the room for a moment.
"I know how you conspired to drive your ex-wife and the mother of your children to commit suicide."
Greg stopped in his tracks, looking at Andy before saying, "What are you talking about; I know she took the custody hearing hard, but I can't be held responsible."
"I can't tell you how much is wrong with what you just said, but even if I accepted your twisted logic, it still doesn't excuse any of this," Andy said, reaching into her purse and producing the little black box that had almost cost Miranda her life.
"What is that?" Greg said, picking up the box and examining it.
"It prevents people in its proximity from getting real sleep, which over time, causes psychosis that can lead them to commit suicide."
"What's the connection with what happened to Miranda?" Greg asked.
"Someone put this box in the vent behind Miranda's bed."
"I, I've never seen that before. I got a call that said that Miranda had killed herself, but that wasn't supposed to happen. I just needed a little more time; then things could have gotten back to normal.
Now It's all falling apart."
Andy felt no sympathy for the man, but something was telling her that he was telling the truth.
"So tell me how it was supposed to go," Andy prompted,
"You have to understand," he began but was cut off.
"Don't tell me what I should or should not understand, Greg. Just because you weren't told the whole plan does not make you the good guy here.
You made a choice, and Miranda and your girls suffered because of it.
Now you're going to tell me what you know, but spare me the fucking excuses."
Greg swallowed hard before he gave it up.
Andy listened dispassionately as Greg Brant laid out what he knew of the conspiracy up to and including how today was supposed to go.
"After the stock price went up, I would sell my shares, and that would have been it for me. My company would be saved, and things could have gotten back to normal."
Andy ground her teeth at Greg's last words.
"And Miranda was just supposed to put her life back together like she hadn't been professionally and personally humiliated.
There is no way to give Miranda back those two years with her daughters. No way to undo the damage you've done to your daughters."
Greg put his head in his hands, clearly shaken.
"No, you don't get to feel sorry for yourself. Miranda came within a hair's breadth of losing her life," Andy said heatedly.
"And you're telling me that those at the heart of this tried to kill her?" Greg questioned.
"No, I'm telling you that your scheme almost cost your daughter their mother."
Greg looked like he was going to be sick, but he did his best to pull himself together.
"I want to be clear here. I know that what I did hurt Miranda, but I never agreed on putting that box in her home, nor did I want her killed."
"Well, It appears that your co-conspirators had other ideas."
He flinched at the term but said no more, apparently done defending his actions.
"It hardly matters now. It's all over."
Before she could say anything more, Greg stood again, seeming agitated again.
"What is it?" Andy asked.
When he didn't immediately respond, Andy gave him a few more minutes to process whatever had him so on edge.
"Greg," she finally said, breaking through the man's fog.
"Why did you come here tonight, Mrs. Sachs?" He asked.
"I came to offer you twenty dollars a share for your shares in Elias Clark."
Greg was silent for a moment while he did the math in his head, "That's a very generous offer considering where the stock ended today.
It's clear that you don't particularly like me, so I have to wonder why you are offering a drowning man a lifeline.
"I'm not offering you a lifeline.
I honestly don't care if you sink or swim.
What I am offering you is a chance to do the right thing."
Give custody of the girls back to Miranda."
Greg did not speak for several minutes as he retreated into his mind thinking hard.
"And what do you get out of this?" Greg asked.
"A chance to put a smile on my wife's face," Andy said.
"Well, that explains why you look like you want to take my head off," Greg pointed out.
After another long silence, the man spoke, "You may not believe this, but I am glad that Miranda isn't dead."
Greg seemed to make a decision before retrieving his phone.
When the line was answered, Greg spoke, "Robert, It's Greg Brant. I want you to draw up a new agreement giving Miranda and her spouse full custody of the girls; then, I want you to get it in front of a friendly judge."
There was a back and forth for a few moments until Greg said, "listen to me, Robert, I should never have kept the girls away from Miranda.
I know that now, so I need you to do what I ask."
Greg ended the call before turning his attention back to Andy.
"I want you to take the girls with you before you leave. I don't know what's going to happen next, but whatever it is, I want the girls safe."
Andy nodded, feeling her first stirring to empathy towards the man for the first time since they'd discovered his complicity in this scheme.
Greg stood, walked to the door then called for the girls.
Both girls came into the study and naturally gravitated towards Andy.
Andy could tell they wanted to ask how their mother was, so she looked at Cassisty then and Caroline before saying, "Girls, your mom is good."
"Have a seat, girls," Greg said.
Instead of going over to the couch, both girls chose to sit cross-legged at Andy's feet.
"I know that I told you that you're mom had died, but I was wrong."
Caroline looked like she was about to say something, but her sister placed a hand on her arm, causing her to remain quiet.
"I also know that the two of you have been unhappy being away from your mother. So I've decided that you should go back to living with your mother starting today."
The girls looked at Andy then at one another, not quite sure what to think about what their father had just said.
Andy placed a reassuring hand on both the girls' shoulders before saying, "Are you two OK with that."
Both girls looked at Andy earnestly before nodding their heads in unison.
"I want to see mom," Cassidy said,
"Why don't you girls go pack. I'm sure Andy and Martha will be willing to help you gather your things," Greg said.
"Andy, Is mom really OK?" Caroline asked once they were alone.
"Yeah, sweetheart, your mom is good. She's in Europe right now, but we'll join her as soon as we can."
The girls were a little disappointed they would not be seeing their mom today but were still upbeat about this sudden change in circumstances.
An hour later, the girls were packed, and with Martha's help, they took all of their things down to the foyer.
There they saw Greg having a conversation with his lawyer. Andy and Martha led the girls into the kitchen giving the two men time to finish their business.
A few minutes later, Greg came into the kitchen. He walked over to Andy, handed her a thick envelope, then said, "It's done, full custody with no restrictions."
He leaned in then said in a much quieter tone, "I am trusting you to keep them safe."
Andy looked at him for a long moment trying to decipher his thoughts before she nodded her agreement.
"I will see you two very soon," Greg said, kneeling before his daughters.
Caroline moved directly into his arms, hugging him fiercely. When Cassidy made no move, Andy placed a hand on her back, urging the girl forward.
Cassidy rolled her eyes at Andy, but took the hint and hugged her father.
Andy took the girls out onto the street and with her driver's help, quickly loaded their bags into the back of the Bentley, and they were driven away.
An hour later, Greg stood before the stove stirring the sauce for tonight's dinner when he heard his front door open and close.
"That smells good, I love a man who knows how to cook," his guest said before kissing him on the neck.
He turned his head enough to share a brief kiss on the lips before saying, "dinner will be ready in half an hour or so if you want to change."
"That sounds lovely. Are the girls sill joining us for dinner?"
"There was a change of plans," Gregg said.
"I didn't know they had plans for the night," She said.
Greg turned back toward her before saying, "The girls' schedule is not your concern."
"Quite right. I believe I'll have a shower before I change my clothes," she said frostily.
Nichole Deveraux ascended the stairs brushing off her annoyance at Greg's reaction to what she thought was an innocent question. In reality, she could not have cared less about them, but she had to keep up appearances.
On a hunch, she walked over to Caroline's room and pushed open the door. Something looked off to her, so she walked entirely into the room. When she inspected the girl's closet finding it half empty, she immediately stepped to Cassidy's room, finding it in a similar state.
Her mind quickly analyzed the situation before deciding on a new course of action.
With her mind made up, she moved quickly into Greg's room, retrieved a medium-sized Vuitton case, then began filling it with any clothing and toiletries she'd kept there. With that done, she found a bottle of cleaner, some rags, and a pair of nitrile gloves.
She stripped down her bra and panties, slipped on the gloves, then spent several minutes wiping down every surface in both the bedroom and bathroom.
She walked back into the closet, opened his wall safe, then transferred all of the cash into her bag. She went back for one more item, briefly inspecting its condition. Satisfied it was in good order, she made her way back down the stairs pausing on the bottom step.
She paused for a moment peering into the spacious kitchen.
When Greg moved towards the stove, Nichole padded into the kitchen. Greg only became aware of her presence when he spotted her reflection in the large chrome vent hood, but before he could turn, she shot him in the back of the head.
She calmly stepped back from the body, waiting several moments for any signs of life. Next, she checked for a pulse, and when she found none, she placed the weapon on the counter before wiping down the flat surfaces in the kitchen, dining room, and study. She made her way back upstairs and into the en-suite. She started the shower then stripped out of her bra and panties, leaving her gloves firmly in place.
She only stayed in the shower long enough to ensure that none of Greg's blood could be found on her body. Afterward, she dressed, put the wet towel in her case, then took the rolling luggage down to the garage, loading it into the back of her Mercedes SUV.
She grabbed her phone, chose a contact, and made a call.
"I just ended things with Greg, a little sooner than anticipated. I got away clean."
She listened for several moments before responding, "I understand, and I can be there this time tomorrow."
As she drove her car down Greg's street, Nichole did not look back.