Chapter 4

Charles looked over the newly arrived group and returned to his seat at the head of the table.

"Everyone is here.

"Adrian, sign the agreement in front of all of them.

"Serena remains the Sutton heir.

"The Carter-Sutton partnership continues unchanged."

I didn't even look at the agreement.

"I'm not here to fight over your heir."

He frowned.

"Then what does bringing Clara to the head table mean?"

"It means the Carter family is done placing resources under someone who can't read a project."

Serena's face went pale.

"Adrian, are you determined to destroy everything?"

I looked at her.

"I already heard who the father is.

"Now everyone else should hear where the project's money went."

Lucas's fingers tightened.

"Those consulting fees were normal expenses.

"Don't smear me because you're canceling an engagement."

"I'm not interested in smearing you."

I pushed a transfer list onto the table.

"Four delivery sign-offs are missing from Finance.

"Two other payments went to your mother and your driver."

One of the Sutton directors picked up the list.

His expression slowly changed.

"Chairman Sutton, weren't these expenses already approved?"

Charles didn't answer.

Lucas turned to Serena.

"Serena, explain."

She protected her belly with one hand.

"Those were project expenses.

"How would I know how Finance booked them?"

I laughed.

"You don't know.

"But you were ready to hand the whole project to him."

I looked at Clara.

She was still standing just behind me.

The report in her hands had been bent at one edge.

"Clara.

"Open the last page."

She hesitated, then did.

"If Horizon Port Phase Three continues under the current plan, Sutton Group needs another six hundred million in working capital before the fifteenth of next month.

"But available cash is only three hundred eighty million."

The room erupted.

"Impossible!"

Charles finally went pale.

"Finance's report says the project is operating normally."

Clara's voice remained soft.

She didn't stop.

"Finance only checked the amounts already paid.

"I checked the contracts, payments, and warehouse entries.

"Two links are missing.

"The numbers don't reconcile."

This time, even the people most committed to pretending nothing was wrong had to look down at the accounts.

No one was laughing anymore.

Several directors began reviewing the transfer list.

The spectators had disappeared from their faces.

A six-hundred-million shortfall wasn't something anyone could dismiss as "normal operations."

If Clara was right, Serena wasn't being handed an inheritance.

She was being handed a debt bomb.

Walter Sutton, the family's senior trustee, looked at Charles.

"Is Clara right?"

His face was grim.

"She's only from the junior side of the family.

"She has no standing in Sutton Group's decisions."

"Standing should be decided by the accounts."

I looked directly at him.

"Not by you."

Lucas suddenly reached for the report.

I caught his wrist.

"Don't touch her work."

His face flushed.

"Adrian, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"I already told you.

"Give the Sutton family a gift."

Charles slammed one hand on the table.

Then he pointed at Clara.

"Clara, get out.

"And you—since when do you get to drag a girl from the junior side of the family in here to rewrite Carter contracts?"

Clara's face turned white.

She instinctively stepped back.

I caught her arm and stepped forward.

"Today."

"Because I say so."

I took another document from my jacket and placed it in the center of the head table.

Charles flipped open the first page.

He blanched.

CARTER-SUTTON COOPERATION CONTRACT AND PROJECT AUTHORIZATION AMENDMENT.

"Impossible."

"There's nothing impossible about it.

"Carter Legal has completed review.

"The Carter board has already approved the authorization."

This wasn't something I invented at the engagement banquet.

From the moment I saw that inheritance agreement, I'd been waiting for a reason strong enough to make everyone stop talking.

Clara's report gave me one.

I picked up the corporate seal and stamped the final page.

Dad watched me.

"You've decided?"

I nodded.

"They've been treating the Carter family like an ATM.

"So we'll put someone in charge who can actually read the accounts."

I pushed the amendment toward Clara.

"Starting today, every Carter contract connected to Sutton Group will be handled through you."