Chapter 3 - THE FINANCIAL AUDIT
The forensic accounting folder remained open on the mahogany dining table.
Arthur adjusted his reading glasses,
his hands trembling slightly as he turned page after page of transaction logs.
“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
” Arthur read aloud,
his voice cracking with disbelief.
“Siphoned out of the joint architectural partnership account over thirty-six months.
”
“And channeled directly into Victoria’s boutique firm,
V-Design LLC.
”
I stood at the head of the table,
projecting my laptop screen onto the smart wall display.
“It goes much deeper than embezzled partnership funds,
Arthur,
” I explained calmly.
“Look at these wire transfers dating back to right after our wedding.
”
“Daniel claimed he needed capital for university research grants in Cambridge.
”
“In reality,
those grants were completely fictional.
”
“The money went straight toward purchasing a luxury penthouse in Miami Beach,
registered solely under Victoria’s maiden name.
”
Victoria stood near the corner of the room,
her phone pressed tightly to her ear.
She was desperately trying to reach her divorce attorney.
“Your call cannot be completed as dialed,
” a synthetic automated voice echoed softly from her speakerphone.
Victoria stared at her phone screen in horror.
“They blocked my number,
” Victoria gasped.
“Of course they blocked your number,
” Chloe said with sharp sarcasm.
“When you call elite lawyers from a frozen account with a history of fraud,
they don't take your calls.
”
“You're finished,
Victoria.
”
Daniel slumped into a dining chair,
burying his face in his hands.
“I had to do it,
” Daniel muttered miserably.
“Victoria threatened to expose my university academic misconduct if I didn't fund her lifestyle.
”
“She trapped me.
”
Victoria whipped her head around,
her eyes blazing with absolute fury.
“You lying coward!” Victoria shrieked.
“You came to me whining about your wife controlling the purse strings!”
“You begged me to help you drain her accounts so we could run away together to Europe!”
“You initiated every single wire transfer using her administrator login credentials!”
I watched them tear each other apart with a profound sense of detachment.
All the pain,
all the betrayal,
and all the sleepless nights had dissolved into cold,
crystalline clarity.
“The password to my admin account was our wedding anniversary,
Daniel,
” I said softly.
“You didn't even have to guess.
”
“You just typed out the date you swore before God to honor me,
and used it to rob me blind.
”
Daniel opened his mouth,
but no words came out.
Arthur stood up,
leaning heavily on his cane,
and walked slowly over to his son.
Without a single word,
May you like
Arthur raised his right hand and struck Daniel across the face with an open palm.
The sharp slap echoed through the silent dining room.
