The Heiress Camille Threw Into the Pool

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

The quartet remained frozen beside the terrace doors. A waiter stood holding an empty tray. Near the pool, water continued dripping from the hem of Sophie's uniform onto the marble, each drop sounding strangely loud in the silence.

Camille recovered first.

She always did.

“That is absurd,” she declared, turning toward the guests.

“This is obviously some kind of performance.””

Sophie held the phone against her ear.

“Hello, Dad.””

A familiar, warm voice answered.

“Sophie? Are you all right? Victor says there was an incident.””

“I'm fine.””

“You're at the Laurent estate?””

“Yes.””

“Then I assume you've met Camille.””

Sophie glanced at the woman standing rigidly beside the pool.

“Very briefly.””

Her father exhaled.

“Remember why we're there. Their company has good properties, but the acquisition only makes sense if the management team can be trusted. If anything changes your assessment, I want to hear it before the board votes.””

“I understand.””

“Do you want me to send someone?””

Sophie looked at the six luxury vehicles, the security officers, and the guests who had suddenly discovered an intense interest in her face.

“No, Dad. I think everyone is here already.””

She ended the call.

Camille stared at her.

“You expect me to believe that you're the daughter of Adrian Morel?””

Sophie slipped the phone into her pocket.

“You don't have to believe me. You can ask your father.””

“My father is hosting a private dinner with investors tonight. He knows every important person in this room.””

“Then he should have no trouble verifying my identity.””

Camille's cheeks reddened.

“Peter!””

The event manager flinched.

“Call Mr. Laurent. Now.””

Peter fumbled with his phone.

“Of course.””

“Tell him his daughter is being harassed by a woman pretending to be an heiress.””

Sophie almost smiled.

“Tell him to bring the acquisition documents, too.””

Camille's head snapped around.

“What did you say?””

“If the deal is as solid as your father believes, reviewing it shouldn't be a problem.””

Before Camille could respond, a tall man in a charcoal suit approached from the garden. His silver hair was combed neatly back, and his expression carried the permanent strain of someone who had spent years negotiating with banks.

Richard Laurent, Camille's father, had arrived.

He was followed by two attorneys and a financial adviser.

“Camille, what on earth is happening?”” he asked.

Camille hurried toward him.

“Dad, this woman has ruined your party. She assaulted me, made ridiculous demands, and now she's claiming to be Adrian Morel's daughter.””

Richard barely glanced at Sophie.

“Security, please remove—”

Then he saw the silver crest on the limousine.

His words stopped.

He looked at Sophie again.

This time, he noticed her eyes, the small crescent-shaped scar near her left eyebrow, and the way the security director stood half a pace behind her instead of beside her.

Richard had met Adrian Morel's daughter once, years earlier, during a charity foundation meeting in London. She had been a teenager then, quiet and observant, sitting beside her father while older executives talked over her head.

He remembered Adrian introducing her.

One day, Sophie will decide which of us deserves to be in this room.

Richard had laughed at the time.

He wasn't laughing now.

“Miss Morel,” he said carefully.

“Mr. Laurent.””

Richard glanced at her uniform.

“I'm terribly sorry about this misunderstanding.””

“Was it a misunderstanding when your daughter pushed me into the pool?””

His eyes flicked toward Camille.

“Camille?””

“She was in my way,” Camille snapped.

“I barely touched her.””

Margaret Whitmore stepped forward.

“I watched you shove her with both hands.””

Camille turned on her.

“You said nothing when it happened.””

“I was about to help her when you ordered your staff to remove her.””

Margaret's voice sharpened.

“And I regret not speaking sooner.””

Daniel Reeves finally stepped forward, his face pale but determined.

“I saw it, too, Mr. Laurent. Miss Morel was carrying a tray. Camille pushed her deliberately.””

Camille stared at him in disbelief.

“You ungrateful little—”

“Enough,” Richard said.

The word cracked through the terrace.

For a moment, Camille looked almost frightened. She had heard her father shout at business rivals, contractors, and politicians, but rarely at her.

Richard turned to Sophie.

“Please allow me to make this right. We'll arrange dry clothes, a private room, anything you need. And I assure you, Camille will apologize.””

Sophie looked down at her soaked uniform.

“Clothes won't change what happened.””

“Of course. But we can discuss it privately.””

“Why privately?””

Richard's jaw tightened.

“Because this is a family matter.””

“No,” Sophie said.

“It became a business matter the moment you asked my family to invest in yours.””

Several guests exchanged glances.

Richard motioned toward the library doors.

“Miss Morel, may we speak inside?””

Sophie nodded.

As she passed Camille, the younger woman caught her arm.

“You can't do this to me.””

Sophie looked at the fingers gripping her sleeve.

“Let go.””

Camille tightened her grip.

“You think a famous last name makes you untouchable? My family has been here for generations.””

“And yet you still needed to push a waitress into a swimming pool to feel important.””

Camille released her.

Sophie entered the library with Richard, the attorneys, and Victor Hale, Morel Héritage's chief legal officer.

The room smelled of leather, polished wood, and the cigar smoke Richard insisted made his library feel traditional. On the central table lay a thick acquisition binder marked with both companies' names.

Richard closed the doors.

“Let's start over,” he said.

“I understand you're upset.””

“I'm not upset about the pool.””

He frowned.

“Then what concerns you?””

Sophie opened the binder.

“Your financial disclosures.””

Richard's expression changed.

“Our financial disclosures have been reviewed by your accountants.””

“Some of them.””

Victor placed a second folder on the table.

“Three weeks ago, our due diligence team requested clarification on certain property transfers and outstanding liabilities. Your office supplied partial records.””

Richard looked at the folder.

“We're a large company. Gathering records takes time.””

“Of course,” Sophie replied.

“But transferring a hotel property to a subsidiary controlled by your family office two days before declaring that property debt-free takes more than time to explain.””

Richard's face tightened.

“That transfer was legal.””

“Then the paperwork should be straightforward.””

He leaned back.

“Miss Morel, I appreciate your concern, but Laurent Estates has employed thousands of people over the years. The acquisition would protect their jobs, preserve the properties, and secure the company's future. We cannot let a personal incident interfere with a transaction of this magnitude.””

“I'm not letting a personal incident interfere with the transaction,” Sophie said.

“I'm asking whether your company has misrepresented its liabilities.””

Richard tapped the table with two fingers.

“My lawyers will address any discrepancies.””

“Good. Then we can discuss the other issue.””

“What other issue?””

Sophie turned to the final page of the binder.

“Your proposed management agreement gives Camille executive authority over the acquired luxury properties for five years.””

Richard's face went still.

“She has experience in hospitality.””

“Does she?””

“She oversees our guest relations division.””

“According to your own records, she has dismissed eleven employees in eight months, including three managers who filed formal complaints about abusive conduct.””

Richard said nothing.

Sophie continued.

“One employee resigned after Camille publicly humiliated her during a client event. Another reported that Camille threatened to blacklist her from every luxury hotel in the region. Your human resources department closed both cases without interviews.””

“Those are internal personnel matters.””

“They become relevant when you ask my company to put her in charge of our assets.””

Richard stood.

“My daughter is young. She can be difficult. But she is my daughter, and I will not allow an outsider to dictate her future.””

Sophie closed the binder.

“Then perhaps you shouldn't have asked my family to finance it.””

The silence was absolute.

Victor placed a document on the table.

“Miss Morel has authority to recommend a suspension of negotiations pending the board's review. The decision would be effective immediately.””

Richard stared at the paper.

“You would jeopardize the entire acquisition over an employee dispute?””

“No,” Sophie replied.

“I'd suspend it because your leadership team appears to confuse power with permission.””

Richard lowered his voice.

“You should think carefully about the consequences. If this deal collapses, banks may withdraw their support. Contractors may go unpaid.

Properties may be sold. Ordinary employees will suffer.””

For the first time, Sophie's expression softened.

“That's exactly why I'm taking this seriously. The employees shouldn't have to pay for the decisions of their executives.””

She stood.

“I'll give you forty-eight hours to provide complete financial disclosures, independent human resources records, and a revised management proposal. Until then, the acquisition is on hold.””

Richard's face turned pale.

“Forty-eight hours isn't enough.””

“Then you should have started three weeks ago.””

Sophie walked toward the door.

Richard followed her.

“Miss Morel, wait. At least let me explain what happened with the property transfers.””

She paused.

He opened his mouth, then glanced at Victor.

Whatever he had planned to say disappeared.

Sophie noticed.

“Interesting,” she murmured.

“What is?””

“You seem more frightened of the paperwork than the acquisition.””

Richard's hands curled at his sides.

Sophie opened the door.

Beyond it, Camille waited beside the staircase, her eyes swollen with anger.

“Well?”” Camille demanded.

“Are we finished with this ridiculous charade?””

Sophie stepped onto the terrace.

“Not yet.””

She turned to the guests.

“I'm sorry your evening has been interrupted. The acquisition of Laurent Estates is temporarily suspended, pending a review of its financial and management records.””

A shocked murmur spread through the crowd.

Camille looked at her father.

“Tell her she's bluffing.””

Richard said nothing.

Sophie continued toward the waiting vehicles.

As Victor opened the limousine door, her phone vibrated.

An unfamiliar number had sent a message.

Don't trust Richard Laurent's financial records. He isn't the one who planned the transfers.

A second message appeared.

Ask your father what happened to your mother.

Sophie stopped moving.

For the first time that night, the color drained from her own face.