Chapter 3 - The First Blood
The next morning, Damian called an emergency board meeting.
I wasn't supposed to attend.
Then he personally asked me to join.
The room was filled with senior executives.
Several looked nervous.
One man didn't.
His name was Victor Kane.
Chief Financial Officer.
He had worked for the company for seventeen years.
He smiled at me.
“Congratulations, Ms. Harper.”
His tone was polite.
His eyes weren't.
Damian entered.
Everyone stood.
“Sit.”
They did.
He placed a folder on the table.
“Three hundred thousand dollars.”
Nobody spoke.
“That amount disappeared from a project account last quarter.”
Victor leaned forward.
“I can explain.”
“I know.”
Damian opened another folder.
“Seven hundred thousand.”
Another.
“Two million.”
Another.
“Five million.”
Victor's face tightened.
“These are accounting discrepancies.”
“No.”
Damian looked at him.
“They are theft.”
The room froze.
Victor stood.
“You can't accuse me without evidence.”
Damian smiled.
“I brought evidence.”
He pushed photographs across the table.
Bank statements.
Shell companies.
Private transfers.
Fake invoices.
Victor looked at them.
Then at me.
“This woman has been manipulating you.”
I stiffened.
Damian's expression changed.
“Be careful.”
Victor laughed.
“She met you once.”
“Twice.”
“Excuse me?”
“Once Friday.”
Damian paused.
“And once this morning.”
He looked at Victor.
“You still don't know who you're dealing with.”
Victor's face went pale.
Damian turned to security.
“Take him.”
Victor resisted.
“You'll regret this!”
Damian didn't move.
Victor was dragged away.
The meeting ended.
I followed Damian into the hallway.
“You knew?”
“About Victor?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Three months.”
“Then why did you wait?”
“Because I wanted to know who else was involved.”
“And now?”
“Now I know.”
He stopped.
I nearly walked into him.
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“You.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“You know the company's internal systems better than anyone.”
“I don't understand.”
“I need you to help me find the rest.”
I stared at him.
“You think I'm involved?”
“No.”
“Then why say me?”
“Because I trust your judgment.”
That word hit harder than I expected.
Trust.
I hadn't heard it in a long time.
That evening, Damian and I worked until midnight.
We reviewed accounts.
Emails.
Contracts.
Every discrepancy.
At 11:47, I found something.
A payment labeled:
HARPER PROJECT — CONFIDENTIAL
I frowned.
“I didn't authorize this.”
Damian leaned closer.
“How much?”
“Four hundred thousand.”
“To whom?”
I clicked the file.
My blood went cold.
The recipient was a company registered under my name.
But I had never created it.
Damian looked at the screen.
“Someone has been using your identity.”
“For what?”
He stared at the documents.
“Money laundering.”
I whispered:
“Why me?”
Damian's expression became dangerously calm.
“Because whoever did this wanted you to take the fall.”
He picked up his phone.
“From tonight forward, you don't go anywhere alone.”
I stared at him.
“Is that an order?”
“No.”
May you like
His eyes held mine.
“It's a promise.”
