Chapter 3 - The Contract He Signed Without ReadingJulian followed Clara into a private corridor.
"You've been investigating me?"
"For a long time."
"Why?"
"Because I noticed something."
She stopped.
"You started spending more than you earned."
Julian looked away.
"Business expenses."
"You purchased three properties."
He said nothing.
"You transferred money into accounts your mother controls."
Silence.
"You also used Sterling-backed credit facilities without my authorization."
His face changed.
"You can't prove that."
Clara smiled.
"Actually, I can."
She handed him a folder.
Inside were financial records.
Every transfer.
Every signature.
Every shell company.
Julian flipped through the pages.
"This is impossible."
"No."
She looked at him.
"What's impossible is that you thought I wouldn't notice."
He stared at her.
"You knew?"
"I knew you were taking money."
"I was going to pay it back."
"Eventually?"
"Yes."
"You stole nearly eleven million dollars."
His face hardened.
"That's not stealing."
"What do you call it?"
He had no answer.
Clara stepped closer.
"You didn't just betray your wife."
"You betrayed my company."
"And tonight, you're going to discover exactly what that means."
Back at the ballroom, Julian's phone began vibrating.
One message.
Then another.
His chief financial officer called.
"Julian."
"What?"
"We have a problem."
"What kind?"
"The Sterling credit line has been frozen."
Julian stopped.
"What?"
"All of it."
"How much?"
"Everything."
His phone buzzed again.
Then again.
The CFO's voice became frantic.
"Three banks are reviewing our accounts."
Julian looked at Clara.
She was standing across the room.
Calm.
Untouchable.
He suddenly understood.
May you like
She hadn't come to the gala to embarrass him.
She had come to end him.
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