Rich People Problems

xxxvii | tranquility

**warning: mention of previous sexual assault**

KIMBERLY

KNOWLEDGE HAS ALWAYS been the world's most powerful weapon.

People who had access to information would be able to hold it over the subject with such force, it was paralyzing. Knowledge gave people power, and with that power, they could do anything.

It was fitting for me to be here, wearing an outfit resembling the one I wore on my eighteenth birthday, ready to finally use the information I was subconsciously storing for years.

I should've known sooner.

Ever since our phone call with Addison, I had been mentally chastising myself for not remembering the power I had over him sooner, the power he practically handed to me.

"Are you ready?" Jace asked.

I haven't told anyone about what I knew yet. I was waiting for the right moment. And Jace trusted me enough to let me keep this to myself for now.

The second I got off the call, I contacted one of my connections who owed me.

Was it the most legal connection? Not really. But sometimes, you need to play dirty against those who played dirty first.

If fighting fire with fire makes their world burn, I had no problems doing it.

"Yep," I lied. It was a loaded question. A part of me was still holding onto the memories of the powerless girl I was. The one who kept her mouth shut because she was told to.

It didn't matter that I had the folder with all the blackmail I could get on him. I was still scared.

"Venus," Jace called out. "Don't lie to me. If there's anyone who could scare a man shitless, it's you. And I'll be by your side the entire time."

I didn't respond. I mean what could I possibly say to that. Instead, I hugged him, pouring every ounce of gratitude in me onto him.

It was overwhelming how much I felt for him. Spending so long repressing it, only made it explode brighter.

Using his hand for support, I let him guide me into the meeting room where everyone was sitting, waiting to start the emergency meeting I called last night. The board members were around the table, some with confused expressions and others with indifference.

Dad and Alex, now being board members, were also there, giving me a supportive smile. I told them about the subject of the meeting beforehand, but that was it.

I knew their hearts would break if they found out what happened.

"Thank you for joining us for this impromptu meeting," I started, taking a seat. "As some of you may suspect, there is a traitor within our company who has been feeding information about our moves to Laurent."

Murmurs started around the room as people started guessing who it was and why they'd do that.

"I'm assuming you suspect it's one of us," Dr. Adebayo stated rather than asking.

I gave a half-hearted nod. "Well, I wouldn't be here, saying something, if it was merely me suspecting. I am here because I have vital information about their identity."

"Then who is it?" Andrew Nguyen—one of the board members from Kingston Industries—asked frantically.

"I'm getting to it," I whined. "God, doesn't anyone have an appreciation for theatrics?"