Chapter 5: The Signature That Wasn't Hers
Ava took a slow breath.
“The expense discrepancy was a misunderstanding.””
Marcus waited.
“There was a restructuring project. Several departments were sharing costs, and I was responsible for consolidating the reports.””
“Were you authorized to approve the final allocations?””
“No. My regional director was supposed to approve them.””
“Victoria Shaw?””
“Yes.””
Marcus glanced at the document.
“Yet the final approval was recorded under your credentials.””
Ava shifted in her chair.
“I didn't approve it.””
“Then who did?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus closed the folder.
“You understand that this is a senior leadership position. The person we hire will have access to sensitive financial information.””
“Of course.””
“If an accounting discrepancy occurs, what would you do?””
“Investigate it.””
“And if the investigation pointed toward someone on your own team?””
“I'd follow the evidence.””
“Even if it damaged your career?””
Ava hesitated.
“Yes.””
Marcus watched her.
“That's an important answer.””
She tried to smile.
“I believe in accountability.””
He nodded.
“Then let's talk about accountability.””
He opened a second folder.
Inside were printed emails.
One had been highlighted.
Marcus pushed it across the table.
“Do you recognize this?””
Ava looked down.
The sender's name was hers.
The recipient was a former colleague named Ethan Cole.
The subject line read:
*Please adjust the final allocation before Friday.*
Her mouth went dry.
She read the message.
*Ethan, move the disputed expenses into the western operations account. We need the report to clear before the board review. I'll explain later.*
Ava looked up.
“That email was taken out of context.””
“What context?””
“We were trying to finish the quarterly report.””
“Why did you ask him to move disputed expenses?””
“They weren't actually disputed. They were pending.””
Marcus folded his hands.
“Then why did you ask him to change the classification?””
Ava leaned forward.
“Because that's what my manager told me to do.””
“Did Victoria tell you to do it?””
“Yes.””
“Can you provide the message where she gave that instruction?””
Ava stared at him.
“I don't have it anymore.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“Understood.””
He made a note.
For the first time, Ava felt something unfamiliar.
Not anger.
Not embarrassment.
Fear.
She had expected Marcus to confront her about the wedding.
She had expected him to mention the things she had said.
She had even prepared a speech about how people changed and how the past should stay in the past.
But he wasn't doing any of that.
He was treating her like any other candidate.
And that meant she couldn't blame his personal feelings for what was happening.
“Marcus,” she said.
He looked up.
“Can I ask you something?””
“Go ahead.””
“Why did you approve my application?””
He considered the question.
“Because your experience looked relevant.””
“You knew it was me.””
“Yes.””
“Then why?””
“Because I wanted the hiring process to be fair.””
Ava looked down at the table.
“After everything I said at the wedding?””
Marcus didn't react.
“I don't make hiring decisions based on wedding conversations.””
She swallowed.
“I was upset.””
“You seemed comfortable.””
The words were quiet.
They hurt more than if he had shouted.
Ava looked away.
Marcus continued.
“I remember the day you left me. I remember what you said. But that's not why we're here.””
He turned another page.
“Let's continue.””
At 11:15, Ava left the conference room.
She had answered every question, but she knew the interview had not gone well.
Outside, the receptionist offered her a polite smile.
“Thank you for coming in, Ms. Collins.””
Ava nodded.
“Of course.””
She walked toward the elevators.
Before the doors closed, she saw Daniel standing at the end of the corridor.
He was holding a paper coffee cup.
“Ava.””
She stepped out.
“Daniel.””
He looked at her.
“How did it go?””
“Fine.””
“Did you speak with Victoria?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
“Nothing important.””
Daniel's expression tightened.
“Please don't do that.””
“Do what?””
“Pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn't.””
Ava looked around.
“Can we talk somewhere private?””
They walked toward a small lounge near the executive offices.
Daniel set his coffee down.
“Jennifer sent me the full report.””
Ava folded her arms.
“Of course she did.””
“There were two separate investigations.””
“Daniel—”
“One involved the expense allocations. The other involved a missing payment.””
Ava's face drained of color.
Daniel continued.
“A payment of eighty-four thousand dollars was transferred from a client account into a temporary operating account. It was later returned.””
Ava stared at him.
“That has nothing to do with me.””
“Your credentials authorized the transfer.””
“I told you. Someone else had access.””
“Then who?””
“I don't know!””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Do you expect me to believe you don't know?””
Ava stood.
“Why are you interrogating me?””
“Because I'm trying to understand what happened.””
“You're supposed to be on my side!””
“I am your husband.””
“Exactly!””
Daniel looked at her.
“And that's why I need the truth.””
She grabbed her handbag.
“I can't do this right now.””
Daniel caught her attention with a quiet question.
“Did you know Ethan Cole was fired after the investigation?””
Ava stopped.
“Yes.””
“Did you know he lost his professional certification?””
She said nothing.
“Did you know he spent six months trying to prove he wasn't responsible?””
Ava turned around.
“He made his own choices.””
Daniel looked at her in disbelief.
“Did you tell the investigators that?””
“I told them what I knew.””
“Then why does his written statement say you asked him to take responsibility for the transfer?””
Ava's face changed.
Daniel took a breath.
“I read the statement.””
“It's false.””
“Then why didn't you challenge it?””
“I did!””
“When?””
She couldn't answer.
Daniel picked up his coffee.
“I'm going to my office.””
Ava stepped toward him.
“Daniel, wait.””
He stopped.
She lowered her voice.
“Please don't let this ruin our marriage.””
Daniel looked at her for a long moment.
“I'm not trying to ruin anything, Ava.””
He walked away.
That afternoon, Marcus sat in his office with Richard Hayes.
The city stretched behind the glass walls.
Richard had a copy of Victoria's report in front of him.
“So?”” he asked.
Marcus removed his glasses.
“She wasn't prepared to explain the discrepancy.””
“Did she deny it?””
“Several times.””
Richard sighed.
“That's disappointing.””
Marcus looked out at the street.
“It's not necessarily conclusive.””
Richard raised an eyebrow.
“You still think there might be another explanation?””
“I think we should distinguish between what we know and what we assume.””
Richard nodded.
“Fair.””
He turned a page.
“Ethan's statement is interesting.””
Marcus looked back.
“Very.””
“Did you ever speak with him?””
“Not directly. He left before I joined the board.””
Richard leaned forward.
“There's something else.””
He opened his laptop.
A scanned document appeared on the screen.
“Victoria sent this after your interview.””
Marcus studied it.
It was an email chain from the day the disputed payment had been transferred.
The first message came from Ava.
The second came from Ethan.
The third was from someone higher in the organization.
Marcus leaned closer.
“Who sent this?””
Richard pointed at the sender.
“That's the interesting part.””
Marcus read the name.
His expression changed.
The email had been sent by the company's former chief financial officer.
A man named Gregory Mills.
Marcus sat back.
“Gregory left before I acquired the remaining shares.””
“Correct.””
“And he was responsible for the final financial audit?””
Richard nodded.
“Exactly.””
Marcus looked at the attachment.
There was a handwritten note at the bottom of the scanned page.
*The original approval was not issued by Ava Collins.*
Marcus read it twice.
Then he picked up his phone.
“Get me the original records from Westbridge.””
Richard nodded.
“Why?””
“Because if this note is genuine, we've been looking at the wrong person.””
At 6:30 that evening, Ava returned to the hotel where she and Daniel had spent their wedding night.
Daniel wasn't there.
His suit jacket was hanging over the back of a chair, but his suitcase was missing.
She called him.
No answer.
She sent a message.
*Ava: Where are you? We need to talk.*
Five minutes passed.
Then her phone vibrated.
*Daniel: At the office. Don't wait up.*
Ava sat on the edge of the bed.
She stared at the message.
Then she opened her email.
A new notification appeared.
It was from the company.
*Subject: Update Regarding Executive Interview*
Her heart began racing.
She opened it.
The first paragraph thanked her for attending.
The second stated that the hiring committee was reviewing additional information.
The third asked her to provide a written response regarding the Westbridge investigation.
She nearly threw the phone across the room.
Then another email arrived.
This one was from an unfamiliar address.
No subject line.
Only an attachment.
Ava opened it.
It was a scanned photograph of an old office document.
At the top was a transfer authorization form.
At the bottom was a signature.
Her signature.
Except it wasn't quite right.
The letters were slightly different.
The final stroke was too long.
Ava zoomed in.
Then she saw the date.
The authorization had been submitted two days before she ever received access to the account.
Her breath caught.
Someone had used her name.
And someone had known enough about her handwriting to make the signature look convincing.
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
“Ava Collins?””
“Yes. Who is this?””
“My name is Ethan Cole.””
Ava stood up.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Ethan continued.
“I heard your name came up in a hiring investigation.””
“Ethan, I—”
“Listen carefully. I know you didn't authorize that transfer.””
Ava's fingers tightened around the phone.
“How do you know?””
“Because I was the one who found the original authorization.””
“Where?””
There was a pause.
Then Ethan said:
“I still have a copy.””
Ava felt her knees weaken.
“Why didn't you give it to the investigators?””
“I tried.””
“What happened?””
His voice became bitter.
“The person who signed that authorization was protected by the board.””
Ava closed her eyes.
“Who?””
Ethan took a breath.
“Gregory Mills.””
The same name Marcus had just discovered.
But before Ava could respond, Ethan added something else.
“And there's a reason Gregory wanted you blamed.””
“What reason?””
Ethan's voice dropped.
“Because you were the only person who knew where the money really went.””
The call disconnected.
Ava stood motionless.
Then a message appeared on her phone.
*Ethan: Don't tell Daniel yet. I need to show you something first.*
Ava stared at the words.
Her husband was already suspicious.
Marcus was investigating.
And now the man who had been blamed for the missing money was asking her to keep a secret.
She typed one question.
*Ava: What do you have?*
May you like
The reply came almost immediately.
*Ethan: The original ledger. And it has Marcus Reed's name in it.*
