Chapter 8: The Daughter Who Was Framed
Nia felt as if the floor had disappeared beneath her.
She looked at the document.
Then at her father.
Then back at the screen.
"That's not my company.""
Richard didn't move.
"What?""
"I've never opened a company account. I've never authorized any transfer.""
Olivia studied the document.
"The company name is Carter Family Ventures.""
Nia shook her head.
"I've never heard of it.""
Richard took the tablet.
The registered director was listed as Nia Carter.
The address matched an apartment building where Nia had lived briefly during college.
But the date of incorporation was only six weeks earlier.
Richard's expression darkened.
"Someone used your identity.""
Nia's voice trembled.
"Dad, I swear I didn't know.""
He immediately placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I believe you.""
The simplicity of his answer almost broke her.
Olivia continued examining the record.
"The company was created using personal information from a financial application.""
Nia frowned.
"What application?""
Olivia enlarged the document.
"An account verification request submitted through a third-party business service.""
Nia stared at the screen.
Then something occurred to her.
"Wait.""
Everyone looked at her.
"What is it?"" Richard asked.
"About six weeks ago, David called me.""
Richard frowned.
"Why?""
"He said you wanted me to complete some paperwork for a future family investment account.""
Richard's face changed.
"Did you sign anything?""
Nia shook her head.
"No. He sent me a link. I opened it, but it asked for identification documents. I told him I'd rather speak with you first.""
Richard stared at her.
"Did you send him anything?""
"No.""
"Photographs? Identification? Bank details?""
Nia thought carefully.
Then she remembered.
"I sent him a photograph of my driver's license because he said the company needed to verify my identity before preparing the paperwork.""
Richard closed his eyes.
Olivia immediately began typing.
"That could explain how the account was established.""
Nia looked sick.
"I didn't know.""
Richard gently took the baby from her arms.
"Sweetheart, look at me.""
Nia raised her eyes.
"You did nothing wrong by trusting someone who worked for our family.""
"But my name is on the account.""
"Your name was stolen. That's not the same thing.""
Olivia continued examining the documents.
"There's another problem.""
Richard looked toward her.
"Go ahead.""
"The company account received an initial deposit of ten dollars. Then several payments were routed through it.""
"How much?""
Olivia checked the records.
"One hundred and twenty thousand dollars.""
Richard stared at her.
"From our company?""
"Yes.""
Nia's breathing became shallow.
"Why would David put my name on it?""
Richard looked at the documents.
"Because if the money disappeared, the first person investigators would find is you.""
Silence.
The implication was devastating.
David hadn't simply been stealing.
He had been building a story.
A story in which Richard's daughter was secretly receiving company money.
A story that could destroy Nia's reputation and turn her father's company against her.
And Vanessa had helped create the distraction.
Richard looked toward Olivia.
"Contact our lawyers immediately. We need to report the identity theft and preserve the digital records.""
"Already contacting them.""
"Notify the bank that the beneficiary company is disputed and that my daughter denies ownership.""
Olivia nodded.
Nia stared at the tablet.
"Dad, what if people think I did this?""
Richard looked at her.
"Then we'll show them the truth.""
"But what if the money can't be recovered?""
"We'll deal with that.""
"What if—"
Richard gently interrupted.
"Sweetheart, listen to me. You are not going to carry the consequences of someone else's crimes.""
Nia looked down.
Amara stirred in his arms.
Richard carefully rocked her.
Then he looked toward the entrance.
"Where is Vanessa?""
The security supervisor checked.
"She's still here.""
"Bring her over.""
Vanessa slowly approached.
Her eyes were red.
"What now?""
Richard showed her the company registration.
"Do you recognize this?""
She examined it.
Then she shook her head.
"No.""
"Did David tell you he was using my daughter's identity?""
Vanessa looked genuinely confused.
"I didn't know anything about that.""
Olivia held up the phone containing their earlier messages.
"Did David ever discuss a company account with you?""
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she nodded.
"He mentioned an account that would receive payments temporarily.""
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"What did he tell you?""
"He said it was part of a restructuring plan.""
"Did he mention Nia?""
Vanessa looked at the young mother.
"Not by name.""
"Did he mention a family member?""
She nodded slowly.
"He said the account would be under someone from the Carter family.""
Richard took a step forward.
"And you never thought to question why money belonging to my company was being moved into a private account?""
Vanessa started crying again.
"I thought it was a tax arrangement.""
Olivia looked at her.
"Did you receive another payment?""
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Fifteen thousand.""
Richard's face hardened.
"What for?""
Vanessa looked down.
"David said I needed to prepare a second invoice.""
Olivia's fingers moved across her tablet.
"What invoice?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"One that would make the payment look like a consulting expense.""
Richard stared at her.
"You helped him disguise a transfer.""
"I didn't know it was stolen!""
"You knew it was being disguised.""
Vanessa had no answer.
Nia looked at her.
"Did you know David planned to use my name?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No.""
"Did you know he was trying to keep me away from the restaurant tonight?""
Vanessa looked at the floor.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because he told me you had found something.""
Nia felt her chest tighten.
"So you knew I was investigating the invoices.""
Vanessa nodded.
"And instead of warning me, you decided to slap me?""
Vanessa's face crumpled.
"I was afraid.""
Nia stared at her.
"Of what?""
"David said he could destroy my company if I didn't cooperate.""
Richard looked at her.
"Then why didn't you come to me?""
Vanessa gave a bitter laugh.
"Because I knew I had already done something wrong.""
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Nia asked the question that had been bothering her.
"Did David tell you why he wanted me out of the restaurant?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"Yes.""
Richard leaned forward.
"What did he say?""
"He said there was a document in the private dining room that you were supposed to sign tonight.""
Richard frowned.
"What document?""
Vanessa looked toward the office.
"I don't know exactly. He told me it was a transfer agreement.""
Olivia went still.
Richard turned.
"An agreement transferring what?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"David said the owner would sign it without asking questions because it was part of a family investment.""
Richard stared at her.
Then he looked toward the documents.
A transfer agreement.
A company account under Nia's name.
A forged signature.
An attempted payment of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Everything suddenly seemed connected.
Richard turned to Olivia.
"Was there any document prepared for my signature tonight?""
Olivia searched the corporate records.
"Not in the official system.""
"Check the private dining room.""
The security supervisor immediately left.
A few minutes later, he returned carrying a slim black folder.
"Found this inside the locked cabinet.""
Richard opened it.
The first page contained a company restructuring proposal.
The second page was a transfer authorization.
The third page was a document granting David Mercer temporary control over several company assets.
Richard read it carefully.
Then he looked at the signature line.
His name was already printed.
Only the final signature was missing.
Nia leaned closer.
"Dad, that's what he wanted you to sign?""
Richard nodded.
"Yes.""
Olivia examined the document.
"There's a clause here that would allow David to control the executive operations account for ninety days.""
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"And during those ninety days?""
Olivia turned the page.
"All payments under the approved restructuring budget could be processed without your individual authorization.""
Richard looked at the document again.
He understood.
David had planned to transfer control of the account, move the money, and leave the company with a carefully constructed paper trail pointing toward Nia.
If the plan had worked, Richard might have signed away the very authority needed to stop him.
And Nia would have become the apparent beneficiary of the missing money.
Richard slowly closed the folder.
"He's been planning this for months.""
Nia nodded.
"But why tonight?""
Richard looked at her.
"Because he knew you were coming.""
Olivia suddenly received another message.
She read it.
Then looked up.
"Mr. Carter, the police have been contacted.""
Richard nodded.
"Good.""
"They've also requested that we preserve all original evidence.""
"Understood.""
Olivia hesitated.
"There's one more development.""
Richard sighed.
"What?""
"David's vehicle has been located.""
"Where?""
"At the airport.""
Richard looked toward the entrance.
"Has he left?""
Olivia shook her head.
"Not yet.""
Nia felt a flicker of relief.
Then Olivia added:
"He's attempting to board an international flight.""
Richard looked at the security supervisor.
"Give the police his location.""
The supervisor made the call.
But before he could finish, Olivia's tablet chimed.
A new corporate alert appeared.
She stared at it.
Then her face went pale.
"Mr. Carter.""
Richard turned.
"What now?""
Olivia swallowed.
"The executive operations account has just received a final transfer request.""
Richard frowned.
"From David?""
Olivia nodded.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
She looked at Nia.
Then back at Richard.
"One million dollars.""
Nia's stomach dropped.
Richard stepped toward the screen.
"Where is it going?""
Olivia enlarged the beneficiary information.
And the answer made everyone in the restaurant go silent.
The money wasn't going to an offshore company.
It wasn't going to David's brother.
May you like
It was going directly into an account controlled by someone who had been sitting inside The Sterling Room all evening.
Vanessa Whitmore.
