Chapter 3 - The First Crack in Ryan's StoryRyan called me three days later.

I almost ignored him.

Instead, I answered.

"Hello."

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"About the company."

I laughed softly.

"Our company?"

"Our divorce agreement includes certain business matters."

"No."

His voice tightened.

"Lauren."

"You already signed away your claims."

"That's not what I mean."

"What do you mean?"

Silence.

Then he said,

"Your father is interfering."

I leaned back.

"My father owns the company."

"You know what I mean."

"Actually, I don't."

Ryan exhaled.

"You're making a mistake."

"No."

I looked at the documents on my desk.

"I'm correcting one."

He went silent.

"You've been investigating me."

"Yes."

"You don't understand what you're looking at."

"Then explain it."

He couldn't.

"Ryan."

"What?"

"Who is Vanessa's company?"

Silence.

I smiled.

"That's what I thought."

"You need to stop this."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to destroy everything."

I stared at the phone.

"You mean everything you stole?"

His breathing changed.

"You have no idea what you're accusing me of."

"Then you should have no problem proving me wrong."

He hung up.

I immediately called Frank.

"He knows."

"Good."

"Good?"

"People who know they're being investigated make mistakes."

Frank was right.

The next morning, James discovered another transfer.

Ryan had moved $680,000 through a vendor account.

But this time, the bank had flagged it.

The money was frozen.

The recipient account belonged to a company registered six months earlier.

Its owner?

Vanessa Blake.

I stared at the paperwork.

"How deep does this go?"

James answered quietly.

"Deeper than we thought."

Then my father's assistant rushed into the conference room.

"Richard."

She looked pale.

"We have a problem."

My father stood.

"What?"

"Ryan is at the flagship property."

"Why?"

"He says he's there to remove company records."

I froze.

"Can he?"

Frank shook his head.

"Not anymore."

My father picked up his phone.

"Call security."

Then he looked at me.

"You coming?"

I nodded.

We drove to the Charleston flagship property.

Ryan stood in the lobby.

He looked furious.

"You can't lock me out of my own company."

My father stepped forward.

"It's not your company."

Ryan laughed.

"You've been waiting for this."

Richard's expression remained calm.

"No."

He looked at me.

"I've been waiting for my daughter."

Ryan's face changed.

Then he looked at me.

"Lauren, don't do this."

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I walked past him.

"You already did."