Silver Tears(79)

“Without you and the drama you brought to my life, I’ve got far too much time on my hands. And money. I’m sick of keeping your sinking investments afloat. When Ylva here explained the situation, I said I’d be delighted to invest in Revenge.”

David turned to Faye. She contemplated him with amusement and folded her arms. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again.

“Sign the papers and get lost. Now, darling. We’ve got matters to discuss and then we’re going out to celebrate this deal.”

David grabbed the pen. With his gaze still fixed on Faye, he signed. Then he stood up so violently that the chair almost fell over. He began to back toward the door, his eyes wild.

“David Schiller,” said a voice behind him.

David spun around. There were two policemen in the doorway.

Faye had seen them arrive but hadn’t said anything.

“Yes?” he answered nervously.

“We’d like you to come with us.”

“Why?”

His body language was defensive.

“We can discuss that outside.”

David turned to Faye.



“What have you done?”

“Reported you for the crimes you committed against Revenge and against me. Corporate espionage should get you a couple of years’ prison time.”

The two police officers gripped David’s upper arms and marched him outside. They could hear his loud protests echoing through the open-plan office. Ylva gathered up the papers and put them back in the folder.

Faye got up and went over to Johanna. She shook her hand.

“Welcome aboard.”

“Thanks.”

Faye took a deep breath. The champagne on ice would have to wait a little longer. She still had one more chauvinist bastard to deal with before she could celebrate.





Henrik looked up with a big grin when Faye stepped into what had, until recently, been her office. Ylva and Alice followed just behind her, and Alice closed the door.

“What might three former employees have on their minds? You should be grateful I’m giving you this time—I’ve got an enormous amount to do. We’re in the middle of a major expansion in America and my patience for the complaints of former employees is limited, to say the least. We’re complying with the contracts of employment that were in place to the letter. On the other hand, I must say it’s a delight to see that you’ve apparently acquired a work ethic, Alice. That’s a new side to you.”

“Shut your face, Henrik,” Alice said cheerfully.

He frowned.

“I don’t have all day. Say what you’ve got to say and then get lost. You have no business being here.”

He leaned back in the chair and linked his hands together behind his head.

Ylva placed a bundle of papers on his desk. Certain sections were marked with green highlighter.

“What’s this?”

Henrik picked up the papers in irritation and began to glance through them.

“You own Revenge. That’s absolutely clear. But you don’t own the rights to our products,” Faye said. “Here are the papers from the Patent and Registration Office that confirm it. It’s going to be interesting to see what Revenge’s partners in the USA have to say about that. Not to mention your financial partners. Owning a company but not its products means that in practice you don’t own anything of any value whatsoever.”



She nodded at Alice and Ylva.

“Together with these two, I’ve already begun to persuade the shareholders to come back to us. And all that stuff your private detective dug up to blackmail the shareholders, including Irene Ahrnell, into selling to you…Well, if you even consider ever using any of that information, we both know that Alice won’t need the services of private detectives to dig up dirt on you…”

Alice crossed her arms with a smirk and nodded cheerfully.

“You fucking cunt! You’re just making this up! My lawyers would never miss a key detail like that!”

Henrik stood up and glowered at Alice, his face bright red.

“Mmm, but apparently you did,” she said. “Maybe it’s time to change law firms? And I’d counter by calling you a fucking dick, but with that little thing on you it’d probably be more appropriate to call you a ‘micropenis.’ Then again, that doesn’t have quite the same feel to it…”

“You fucking—”

Henrik made to lunge for Alice, but Faye stepped forward and fixed her gaze on him. She leaned across the table, pushed the documents toward him, and then spoke in a cool voice: “Without the rights to the products, this company is an empty shell. In other words, it’s a huge financial loss for you. And your investors. So the best decision you can make right now is to sell your shares to me. For the same price you and your decoys bought them at. I hope you understand and appreciate the generosity I’m showing you right now.”

“Why would I do that? I’ve got strong investors to back me up, I can afford to litigate against you, and I don’t give a fuck about what you’ve managed to find in the small print of some stupid contract. I’m going to fight you until you haven’t got a penny to your name…”



Henrik hissed and spluttered, making spittle fly, but Faye merely reached forward, calmly took the handkerchief from his jacket pocket, and wiped his face with it.