Chapter 3 - The Audit TrailUpstairs in my private suite on the thirtieth floor, the city lights of Chicago stretched out like a glittering grid of gold against the dark canvas of Lake Michigan. I poured myself a glass of sparkling water, walked out onto the balcony, and breathed in the crisp autumn air.
My phone buzzed relentlessly on the glass table.
Missed calls. Text messages. Unknown numbers. Email notifications pinging like machine-gun fire.
Among them was a text from an unknown local number: “Elena, please. I know you’re up there. Give me five minutes. We can fix this. Let’s talk privately.”
I blocked the number without opening the message further.
Ten minutes later, a soft chime announced a visitor at my private elevator landing. I didn't move from my chair on the balcony. Through the glass floor-to-ceiling doors, I saw the shadow of the head of legal counsel, Marcus Vance, stepping into the suite.
He walked out onto the balcony, holding a thick leather-bound folder.
“Director Bennett,” Marcus said quietly. “The lobby has been cleared. The police escorted Mr. Reed and Ms. Cole off the property through the service loading dock to avoid further media exposure. Their remaining guests have dispersed.”
“And the bill?” I asked, keeping my eyes fixed on the horizon.
Marcus opened the folder, flipping a page.
“Mr. Reed attempted to charge a secondary platinum card belonging to his personal bank, but it was declined due to insufficient funds. In fact, our preliminary freeze on his linked accounts triggered a cascade of bounced checks across three different luxury vendors—his tuxedo rental, the florist, and the honeymoon resort in Bora Bora.”
A faint smile touched the corner of my lips. “And Vanessa Cole?”
“We ran a quiet background check on her while the police were verifying identities,” Marcus said, a dry note of amusement in his voice. “Her 'board member uncle' is actually a retired mid-level postal worker living in Peoria. She has accumulated over two hundred thousand dollars in unsecured debt trying to maintain her high-society lifestyle. She targeted Daniel because she genuinely believed he was an Aurelia heir.”
I turned to look at Marcus, raising an eyebrow. “Poetic justice, wouldn't you say?”
“Exquisite, Director. But we have a minor legal hurdle.” Marcus adjusted his glasses. “Mr. Reed’s attorney has already threatened a countersuit, claiming malicious humiliation and breach of privacy since you chose to reveal your identity in a public space.”
I laughed softly, setting my glass down on the table.
“Marcus, look at the security footage from the lobby tonight. Did I approach him? Did I announce my presence? No. He struck the counter, demanded to speak to the account holder, and your manager followed protocol by identifying me when I arrived to resolve an operational disturbance.”
Marcus smiled back, a sharp, shark-like grin. “True. Furthermore, all supplemental charges signed over the last four months—ever since the divorce decree was finalized—were signed under his own name, utilizing a corporate privilege he legally forfeited the moment the household account was dissolved.”
“Make sure every single cent is recovered,” I said, my voice dropping an octave, turning cold and professional. “If he doesn't have the cash, strip his personal assets. The car, the watch collection I bought him for our third anniversary, his condo deposit. Leave him with nothing less than what he walked into our marriage with.”
“Consider it done, Director.” Marcus paused at the threshold of the balcony doors. “By the way... the board committee was very impressed with how you handled the situation downstairs. They’re voting on your promotion to regional chief executive officer tomorrow morning.”
May you like
“Tell them I look forward to it,” I replied.
The game was over. Daniel had lost everything because of his own greed and arrogance. But my real work—the empire I was meant to command—was only just beginning.
