Chapter 4
Brendan's face drained of color.
"No..."
He shook his head repeatedly.
"That's impossible."
Arthur Reynolds didn't even glance at the report in front of him.
He already knew every page by heart.
"Mr. Whitmore."
"Over the last eighteen months, Corporate Compliance has documented unauthorized executive expenditures."
A security officer placed a thick black binder onto the dining table.
The sound echoed through the silent room.
THUD.
Arthur continued.
"Private vacations."
"Luxury jewelry."
"Designer handbags."
"Personal renovations."
"Private jet flights."
"Payments made to third parties."
Jessica slowly stepped backward.
"What does that have to do with me?"
Arthur looked directly into the camera.
"Miss Collins."
Her heart skipped.
"Several purchases were delivered to your residence."
Jessica's lips parted.
"I..."
Brendan interrupted.
"I approved those expenses."
Arthur nodded once.
"Exactly."
"And that's the problem."
Diane slammed both hands onto the dining table.
"This is ridiculous!"
"My son runs that company."
"He can spend corporate money."
Cassidy finally spoke.
"No."
Everyone turned toward her.
"The CEO manages company resources."
She paused.
"He doesn't own them."
Arthur finished the sentence.
"The Chairwoman authorizes extraordinary expenditures."
Diane frowned.
"And who signed them?"
Arthur answered without hesitation.
"Nobody."
Chief Ethan Carter stepped forward.
"Ma'am."
Cassidy looked up.
"The forensic team is ready."
"Bring them in."
"Yes, ma'am."
Another four people entered the dining room carrying sealed evidence cases.
Brendan frowned.
"Forensic team?"
Chief Carter calmly replied,
"Corporate Digital Forensics."
One technician opened a silver case and removed several tablets.
Another connected a secure laptop to the large television mounted on the dining room wall.
Within seconds...
Security footage filled the screen.
Brendan frowned.
"What is this?"
Chief Carter answered.
"Executive headquarters."
The video showed Brendan entering his executive office late one evening.
No assistants.
No board members.
Just him.
He unlocked a cabinet.
Removed a company credit card.
Then signed several reimbursement forms.
Arthur calmly narrated.
"Those transactions were submitted as client development expenses."
The footage continued.
The next clip showed Brendan inside an upscale jewelry boutique.
Jessica stood beside him.
He handed over the corporate card.
A sales associate presented an elegant diamond necklace.
Jessica smiled and kissed him.
Arthur read from another document.
"Purchase price..."
"$184,000."
Jessica instinctively touched the necklace around her neck.
The same necklace.
She had worn it to dinner.
Brendan finally shouted.
"Turn it off!"
Nobody moved.
The next recording appeared.
A luxury resort in Aspen.
Corporate funds.
Private chalet.
Champagne.
Designer shopping.
Everything billed as executive travel.
Arthur quietly closed the file.
"The total personal misuse currently exceeds..."
He glanced down.
"...four point three million dollars."
The room became completely silent.
Jessica stared at Brendan.
"You told me..."
"...the bonuses covered everything."
Brendan didn't answer.
"You said..."
"...you owned the company."
Still nothing.
"You lied to me."
He turned toward her.
"Jessica—"
She ripped the diamond necklace from her neck.
The clasp snapped.
The necklace landed on the dining table in front of him.
"I don't wear stolen jewelry."
Without another word, she grabbed her handbag and walked toward the front door.
Brendan reached after her.
"Jessica!"
She never looked back.
The front door slammed.
Even Chief Carter's officers didn't react.
They had seen scenes like this before.
Diane slowly sat down.
Her elegant posture disappeared.
She suddenly looked like an old woman who had spent her entire life believing wealth could solve every problem.
She looked at Cassidy.
"You knew."
Cassidy nodded.
"I suspected."
"For how long?"
"About a year."
Brendan stared at her.
"A year?"
Cassidy met his eyes.
"I ordered a confidential audit after the first unusual transfer."
"You investigated me?"
"No."
She shook her head.
"I investigated the numbers."
"You just happened to be attached to them."
Arthur spoke again.
"There is one final matter."
Everyone looked toward the screen.
"The Board asked me to deliver this personally."
Chief Carter accepted a cream-colored envelope from another security officer.
He carried it directly to Cassidy.
She opened it calmly.
Read the single page.
Then signed her name without hesitation.
Arthur smiled politely.
"Thank you, Madam Chairwoman."
Brendan frowned.
"What was that?"
Cassidy folded the document.
"Your termination."
His world stopped.
"What?"
Arthur's voice became formal.
"Effective immediately..."
"Brendan Whitmore is removed as Chief Executive Officer of Whitmore Global by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors."
"You can't—"
Arthur interrupted.
"Actually..."
"The Chairwoman just did."
Brendan's knees nearly gave out.
Everything he had spent years believing belonged to him...
His office.
His authority.
His title.
His future.
Disappeared with one signature.
Cassidy slowly stood for the first time since entering the mansion.
Her soaked cream maternity dress still clung to her beneath the warm executive coat.
She looked directly at Brendan.
"You divorced me because you thought I would never be your equal."
She paused.
"The truth is..."
A faint, almost sorrowful smile crossed her face.
"You were only borrowing my company."
At that exact moment, Chief Carter's earpiece crackled.
He listened for several seconds.
Then looked toward Cassidy.
May you like
"Ma'am..."
"The FBI has arrived."
