Privately, however, he activated his legal team and senior forensic accountants to launch an independent investigation into the four-year-old embezzlement case involving the Vance family business.
Three weeks later, when the forensic team delivered its preliminary findings, Damian drove directly to Mabel’s home.
He placed a stack of financial ledgers across her small kitchen table. “The two hundred thousand dollars that disappeared never entered any account linked to you, Mabel. It was systematically siphoned out through minor wire transfers over an eight-month period.”
Mabel stared at the forensic spreadsheets. “Then who took it?” Damian pushed a second dossier across the table. “The ultimate beneficiary was a shell company registered to Flynn Vance—Arthur Vance’s son.”
Mabel became completely motionless.
Flynn Vance had been the very man who had loudly “defended” her integrity when the original audit began, pretending to be the sympathetic employer while the evidence was being presented to his father.
“That bastard told me to my face that he believed in me…” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“Because he needed everyone looking at you while he covered his own tracks,” Damian said coldly.
Flynn had built up enormous, concealed gambling debts in Dallas. When his father noticed irregularities in the company accounts, Flynn had framed Mabel—the only accountant with daily administrative access.
Damian expected Mabel to feel relieved. Instead, tears rolled over her eyelashes.
It wasn’t relief. It was pure, unadulterated rage.
