Chapter 4 - THE COMPANY THAT WASN’T WINNING
Dominic had spent two years telling everyone his company was exploding.
Apparently, he meant financially.
Rebecca brought in a forensic accountant named Martin Cho.
By noon the next day, our dining table was covered in statements.
Martin pointed to a spreadsheet.
“Vale Strategic Holdings has significant liabilities.”
“How significant?” I asked.
“Potentially seven figures.”
I stared at him.
“But Dominic said they closed three major investor deals.”
“They announced three.”
“Same thing?”
“Not even close.”
Dad poured coffee.
“So he’s been projecting success.”
Martin nodded.
“Leased office. Expensive travel. Membership clubs. Vehicle appearances.”
“My vehicle,” I said.
“Yes.”
I suddenly remembered every time Dominic had asked me to drop him one block before a meeting because he wanted to drive the SUV himself.
I had thought it was vanity.
It was marketing.
“He used me as scenery,” I whispered.
Rebecca’s expression softened.
“He used assets around you to create the appearance of wealth.”
My phone rang.
Victoria.
I declined it.
She called again.
Then again.
I finally answered.
“Audrey, enough.”
“Good morning to you too.”
“You have humiliated my son.”
“No. His accountant may have.”
“You took his vehicle.”
“My vehicle.”
“You sent strangers to take it from a private garage!”
“They had the title.”
“That car belongs with Dominic. He needs it for business.”
I actually laughed.
“So I should have taken the bus after surgery because Dominic needs my SUV to pretend he’s richer than he is?”
“You always twist things.”
“What part did I twist?”
Victoria went silent.
Then she changed tactics.
“Leo needs his father.”
“He does.”
That surprised her.
“Then come home.”
“No.”
“A family stays together.”
“A family doesn’t leave a surgical patient on a sidewalk.”
“You’re determined to punish him.”
“No. I’m determined to stop protecting him from consequences.”
She inhaled sharply.
“You sound exactly like your father.”
My eyes moved toward Dad.
“You’ve never met him.”
“I know enough. A minor bureaucrat who filled your head with pride.”
Dad nearly choked on his coffee.
I put the call on speaker.
Rebecca bit her lip.
Victoria continued.
“Dominic built you a life your father never could.”
Dad whispered, “This is outstanding.”
I elbowed him.
“Ow.”
I said into the phone, “Victoria, stop calling me.”
“You don’t order me around.”
“Then consider this a request from someone whose SUV you will never sit in again.”
I hung up.
Dad grinned.
“I like motherhood on you.”
“Dad.”
“Sorry.”
Martin cleared his throat.
“There’s more.”
The room changed immediately.
He rotated his laptop.
“There are payments to a consulting entity called Northstar Advisory.”
“Who owns it?”
“That’s what I’m trying to determine.”
“How much?”
“Two hundred twelve thousand dollars over eleven months.”
Rebecca frowned.
“For what services?”
“No invoices.”
“Address?”
“A virtual office.”
Dad looked at me.
“Do you recognize the name?”
I shook my head.
Martin clicked.
“One payment is unusual. Forty-eight thousand dollars.”
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“For what?”
“Memo line says ‘Project L.’”
Leo.
My stomach turned.
“That doesn’t mean Leo.”
“No,” Rebecca said quickly. “We don’t assume.”
Then Martin opened another document.
“But we should look at this.”
It was an email recovered from a shared financial folder.
From Dominic.
To someone listed only as N.A.
Once the baby arrives, Audrey will be easier to manage. Then we finish the transfer.
I stopped breathing.
Dad’s chair scraped backward.
Rebecca read the line twice.
“What transfer?” I whispered.
Martin looked at me.
May you like
“That,” he said, “is what Dominic was hoping you’d never ask.”
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