Chapter 6: The Secret Behind the Money
Ava read the message three times.
*The original ledger. And it has Marcus Reed's name in it.*
She sat down slowly.
Marcus.
The man who owned Meridian Global.
The man who had just interviewed her.
The man who had once promised her that he would build something extraordinary.
Why would his name appear in a financial investigation from years before?
She typed a reply.
*Ava: What do you mean Marcus's name is in it?*
Ethan answered.
*Ethan: Not over the transfer. Beside it. There's something you need to see.*
Ava stared at the screen.
*Ava: Where are you?*
*Ethan: I can meet tomorrow. Somewhere public.*
She hesitated.
Then she typed:
*Ava: Why should I trust you?*
His response came after nearly a minute.
*Ethan: You shouldn't. That's why I'm bringing the original document.*
Ava put the phone down.
She looked around the hotel room.
Daniel's side of the bed was untouched.
His wedding photograph stood on the bedside table.
They were smiling in it, surrounded by white roses.
She remembered the vows.
The promises.
The applause.
She had thought the hardest part of her life was behind her.
Now she wasn't sure what the truth was anymore.
At Meridian Global, Marcus was still in his office.
It was nearly nine.
Most of the floor was dark, except for the light spilling from his conference room.
Richard sat opposite him.
Between them were three documents.
The first was Gregory Mills's email.
The second was the original payment authorization.
The third was a ledger from Westbridge Financial Group.
Marcus tapped the page.
“Look at the date.””
Richard leaned forward.
“March eighteenth.””
“Now look at the authorization.””
Richard compared the documents.
“March sixteenth.””
Marcus nodded.
“The payment was approved before Ava was assigned to the account.””
Richard removed his glasses.
“So her credentials couldn't have authorized the original transfer.””
“Not unless someone had access to her account before she did.””
Richard shook his head.
“That doesn't make sense.””
Marcus turned another page.
“There's more.””
He pointed to a column marked Beneficiary.
A company name appeared.
*Northbridge Advisory Services.*
Richard frowned.
“I don't recognize that company.””
“Neither did I.””
Marcus opened another document.
“It was registered three weeks before the transfer.””
“Who owned it?””
Marcus looked at him.
“Gregory Mills.””
Richard leaned back.
For a moment, neither man spoke.
Then Richard said, “If Gregory was moving company funds through his own firm, why would he need Ava?””
Marcus turned the page.
“Because the transaction required an internal authorization code.””
“And Ethan?””
“Ethan discovered the discrepancy.””
Richard looked toward the window.
“So Gregory framed both of them.””
“Possibly.””
Marcus studied the ledger again.
A handwritten note appeared in the margin.
*M.R. — Review before release.*
Richard noticed it.
“Those are your initials.””
Marcus nodded.
“But I never saw this document.””
“Are you sure?””
Marcus looked at him.
“I would remember.””
Richard picked up the page.
“Then why would someone write your initials?””
Marcus leaned back.
“Because someone wanted the transaction to appear as though it had been reviewed by me.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“That's a serious allegation.””
“Which is why we're going to verify everything before making one.””
He picked up his phone.
“Get legal involved. Quietly.””
Richard nodded.
“Who else knows?””
Marcus looked at the papers.
“Victoria. Ethan. And now, apparently, Ava.””
Richard paused.
“Why Ava?””
Marcus's eyes moved toward the document.
“Because she was there when the original files disappeared.””
Richard frowned.
“Do you think she knows where they went?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Instead, he opened an old email archive.
A message from Gregory Mills appeared.
It had been sent three years earlier.
The subject line was simple.
*Ava Collins — Final Review.*
Marcus opened it.
The message contained one sentence.
*If she refuses to cooperate, make sure the board understands that she was responsible for the entire transfer.*
Marcus stared at the screen.
Then he looked at Richard.
“Gregory didn't just want to hide the money.””
“What did he want?””
Marcus closed the laptop.
“He wanted to make sure Ava never talked.””
The next morning, Ava arrived at a small coffee shop near the river.
She had barely slept.
She wore a beige coat and dark sunglasses, hoping to avoid anyone who might recognize her.
Ethan was already there.
He looked older than she remembered.
His hair had thinned. His face was leaner, and a faint scar ran along his jaw.
He stood when she approached.
“Ava.””
“Ethan.””
They sat opposite each other.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, Ethan placed a brown envelope on the table.
“Before you open that, I want you to understand something.””
Ava looked at the envelope.
“Go ahead.””
“I didn't call you because I wanted revenge.””
“Then why?””
“Because Gregory is back.””
Ava frowned.
“Back where?””
“In the industry. He's consulting for several financial firms.””
“That's not my problem.””
“It becomes your problem if he finds out I still have this.””
Ethan tapped the envelope.
Ava opened it.
Inside was a photocopy of a ledger.
Several payments were listed.
She recognized the disputed amount immediately.
Eighty-four thousand dollars.
Beside it was the name Northbridge Advisory Services.
And beside that, a second line:
*Approval requested: Gregory Mills.*
Ava looked up.
“Why is Marcus's name here?””
Ethan pointed to a column on the right.
“That's the internal review field.””
She leaned closer.
The initials were clear.
M.R.
“Marcus approved it?””
“No.””
Ethan shook his head.
“Those initials were added later.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I kept the original version.””
He removed another sheet.
This one was a carbon copy of the same ledger.
The initials weren't there.
Instead, the review field was blank.
Ava stared.
“So someone forged his approval.””
“Exactly.””
She looked at Ethan.
“Why would they do that?””
“To make the transaction look legitimate.””
“Then why frame me?””
Ethan leaned forward.
“Because I found out the money wasn't the only thing being moved.””
Ava's face tightened.
“What else?””
“Client records. Investment instructions. Private account information.””
She felt cold.
“That's impossible.””
“It's all in the ledger.””
Ava looked down at the pages.
Then she saw a familiar account number.
Her stomach dropped.
It belonged to a client she had personally managed.
A retired businessman named Harold Bennett.
She remembered him.
He had trusted her completely.
He had once sent her flowers after she helped resolve a complicated account issue.
“Why is his account here?””
Ethan looked at her.
“Because his money was used to cover the transfer.””
Ava pushed the papers away.
“No.””
“I'm sorry.””
“No. He never approved anything.””
“I know.””
Ava looked at him.
“How?””
Ethan opened another folder.
“Because I called him.””
She stared.
“You contacted a client?””
“Not to discuss confidential information. I asked whether he had authorized the transaction.””
“What did he say?””
“He said he never heard of Northbridge.””
Ava's hands began to shake.
“Did you tell anyone?””
“I tried. Gregory had already prepared the story.””
Ethan lowered his voice.
“He told the board that you had initiated the transfer, that I had discovered it, and that we were working together.””
Ava stared at the documents.
“Why didn't you come to me?””
“I tried.””
She looked up.
“What?””
“I called you the week before you resigned.””
Ava shook her head.
“I never received a call.””
“I left three messages.””
She remembered that week.
The arguments with Victoria.
The disciplinary meeting.
The unexpected opportunity to work for another company.
And the strange email telling her that her resignation would be accepted immediately if she signed the settlement agreement.
She looked at Ethan.
“What settlement agreement?””
Ethan stared.
“The one you signed when you left Westbridge.””
Ava's face went pale.
She remembered signing a document.
She had been told it was a standard separation agreement.
Victoria had said it would protect her professional reputation.
Ava had signed it without reading every page.
“What did it say?””
Ethan exhaled.
“It included a confidentiality clause and a statement that you accepted responsibility for the disputed account adjustments.””
Ava felt sick.
“I didn't know.””
Ethan's expression softened.
“I believe you.””
She looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because you weren't the only person who was pressured.””
He took a final document from the envelope.
“This is the page I wanted you to see.””
Ava read it.
It was an internal memo.
The heading read:
*Contingency Plan — Westbridge Financial Investigation.*
Below it were three names.
Gregory Mills.
Ethan Cole.
Ava Collins.
Beside each name was a handwritten note.
Gregory's said:
*Primary decision-maker.*
Ethan's said:
*Potential witness.*
Ava's said:
*Control through employment agreement.*
She stared at the words.
Then she noticed a fourth name at the bottom.
Her eyes widened.
*Daniel Foster.*
Ava looked up.
“Daniel?””
Ethan nodded slowly.
“He was working with Westbridge's external consulting team at the time.””
Ava felt the room tilt.
“That's impossible. Daniel told me he had never worked with Gregory.””
Ethan leaned back.
“Maybe he didn't tell you everything.””
Ava grabbed the document.
“What was Daniel's role?””
Ethan hesitated.
“His company reviewed the original transaction records.””
Ava's heart began pounding.
“Did he know?””
“I don't know.””
She looked down again.
A handwritten note appeared beside Daniel's name.
*Transfer original records before external audit.*
Ava felt her fingers go numb.
Daniel had been involved.
Not necessarily in the fraud.
But close enough to know something.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Daniel.
*Daniel: We need to talk. Come home. Now.*
Ava looked at Ethan.
“Did you know Daniel was involved?””
Ethan shook his head.
“No. I only found his name last night.””
Ava stood.
“I'm going to ask him.””
Ethan caught her attention.
“Wait.””
She turned.
“Gregory knows about the ledger. If Daniel is involved, he may know where the original records are.””
Ava stared at him.
Then Ethan said the words that made her stop completely.
“There's one more thing.””
“What?””
He pointed to the bottom of the document.
A handwritten instruction appeared beneath Daniel's name.
*If Marcus Reed investigates, activate the original contingency.*
Ava looked at him.
“What contingency?””
Ethan's voice dropped.
“Destroy the evidence and make Marcus look like the person who authorized the transfer.””
At the same time, Daniel stood in Marcus's office.
He looked exhausted.
His wedding ring was still on his finger, but his expression had lost its usual confidence.
Marcus closed the door.
“Sit down, Daniel.””
Daniel remained standing.
“I need to tell you something.””
Marcus looked at him.
“About Ava?””
“About Westbridge.””
Marcus went still.
Daniel placed a document on the desk.
“I worked on the external audit team that reviewed the accounts.””
Marcus glanced at the paper.
“Why didn't you mention that before?””
“Because I didn't think it mattered.””
“Did you know Gregory Mills?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know Ava?””
“No. Not at the time.””
Marcus studied him.
“Then why are you here?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Because last night I found something in an old email archive.””
He pushed his phone forward.
The screen displayed an email from Gregory.
The subject line read:
*Daniel — Keep This Between Us.*
Marcus opened the message.
It contained a single attachment.
A scanned bank transfer authorization.
At the bottom was a signature.
Daniel's.
Marcus looked up.
Daniel's face had gone white.
“I didn't sign that.””
Marcus looked back at the document.
The authorization date was the same date as the disputed transfer.
Then Daniel said quietly:
“Someone used my name too.””
Marcus slowly closed the file.
For a moment, neither man spoke.
Then Marcus asked:
“Does Ava know?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not yet.””
Marcus stood.
“Then we have a bigger problem than the hiring process.””
Daniel looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
Marcus picked up his phone.
“Because someone has been using all our names to cover the same transaction.””
Before Daniel could respond, Marcus's phone rang.
The caller ID showed Richard Hayes.
Marcus answered.
“Richard?””
Richard's voice was urgent.
“Marcus, don't leave the office.””
“Why?””
“We've got a problem.””
“What happened?””
Richard paused.
Then he said:
“Someone just accessed the original Westbridge archive.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“Who?””
Richard took a breath.
“The access credentials belong to you.””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
Daniel stared back.
And somewhere across the city, Ava was holding a document that could prove all three of them had been framed.
May you like
But the most dangerous person in the story had just made his move.
*Gregory Mills knew they were getting close.*
