Chapter 8 - The Elevator
Jacob’s death had been ruled an equipment failure.
Ruth said it was not.
Three weeks before the accident, Jacob discovered that Mercer executives were using cheaper replacement cables in several hotels while charging the company for certified parts.
He documented everything.
Serial numbers.
Invoices.
Safety warnings.
He brought the evidence to Ethan.
But Victoria intercepted him outside the boardroom.
Ethan lowered his eyes.
“I sent him away.”
Ruth answered:
“Yes.”
“You believed a woman in diamonds before a man carrying maintenance records.”
The sentence struck the entire room.
Class prejudice had not merely denied Jacob his inheritance.
It had made his warning easier to ignore.
Leah’s voice broke.
“Did Victoria know the elevator was dangerous?”
Ruth remained silent for a moment.
“She knew Jacob planned to shut it down.”
Everyone looked at Victoria.
“I did not cause the accident.”
Ethan stared at her.
“That wasn’t the question.”
Victoria admitted she told the hotel manager to keep the elevator operating through a major investor weekend.
Shutting it down would have embarrassed the company.
Jacob entered the service shaft to document the damaged system.
Hours later, he was declared dead.
Leah covered her mouth.
“You chose guests’ convenience over his life.”
Victoria shook her head desperately.
“I was told it could last three more days.”
Ruth’s voice hardened.
“Because people like you think workers are replaceable before equipment is.”
The attorney froze Victoria’s shares pending investigation.
Executive bonuses stopped.
Employee payroll remained protected.
Then Ruth said she would cast Maria’s one-percent vote.
But not for Ethan.
Not for Margaret.
May you like
Not even for Leah.
The vote would belong to Mercer employees.
