Chapter 16

I had taken longer than usual to return to the office because Lucas had insisted on driving me there. But I wasn’t going to let that happen. It would blow our cover far too quickly.

When I arrived, everyone looked at me strangely. Was it because I was late? Or because I was still new and had already taken several days off? One thing about me, though, was that I cared very little about what people thought. Ignoring the curious stares, I quietly made my way to my office.

I let out a slow sigh as I settled behind my desk. The stack of Sinclair Enterprises files waiting for me was enormous, so I began reviewing the company’s financial records one by one. The deeper I looked, the more shocked I became. Almost all the funding that had helped Damon expand his company had come from Sinclair Enterprises.

How was that even possible? I was the one who had spent countless sleepless nights building Damon’s company, yet when I traced the financial records more carefully, I discovered that he had been receiving money from the Sinclairs for years under the guise of family partnerships.

My brows furrowed. I wasn’t sure whether Lucas had already noticed it, but several of the transactions looked highly suspicious. Some of the money had clearly been taken through illegal channels. I leaned back in my chair, my expression darkening. Who had held this position before I arrived? There was no way the Executive Manager position had been vacant all this time.

I called one of the employees into my office. “I need the employment records of the previous Executive Manager,” I instructed calmly.

“Right away, Mrs. Larson.”

After he left, I stared at the documents again. So while I had been exhausting myself day and night for Damon… he had secretly been using Sinclair money to enrich himself. The realization made my blood boil. I had sacrificed everything for him while he barely invested anything into his own company.

A few minutes later, the employee returned with the personnel file. The moment I saw the photo, recognition flashed across my face. I had seen this man before. He was always with Damon. So… Damon had placed his own friend in this position. No wonder the accounts were such a mess. They had been stealing from Sinclair Enterprises together.

“Good job, Damon,” I muttered coldly.

The very first thing I did was call the finance department. “Effective immediately,” I ordered, “freeze every pending transaction connected to these partnership accounts until further notice.”

“Yes, Mrs. Larson.”

Then I drafted a formal email detailing the irregularities and sent it directly to Damon’s office. A faint smile appeared on my lips. I was certain he would panic the moment he saw it. And this time… he was going to pay back every single cent he had taken.

Just then, my phone buzzed. An alarm. Time to take your medicine. I blinked. Had Lucas set this? This morning, he had casually asked to borrow my phone… was this what he had been doing?

A small, helpless smile tugged at my lips. I opened my handbag to take out the medicine, only to discover a small container of freshly cut fruit tucked neatly beside it. There was even a folded note. Eat these before taking your medicine.

My heart softened. Without realizing it, I smiled as I quietly finished the fruit before taking my tablets.

A moment later, my phone buzzed again. I assumed it was another reminder. Instead, it was a message from Lucas.

It was one of the maids. She was spying on us. Mrs. Carter planted her in the house.

I stared at the screen in disbelief. “What?” How obsessed was that woman?

I immediately stood up and hurried toward Lucas’s office, intending to speak with him. But when I arrived… he wasn’t there. Letting out a disappointed sigh, I turned around and headed back toward my office.

Halfway down the corridor, I bumped into someone. “Maya…”

I hadn’t expected her to come to work today. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Guilt immediately washed over me.

“Hi, Maya,” I said nervously. Before she could respond, I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about that night,” I said sincerely. “I never meant to make you feel that way. I know I questioned you, but I wasn’t trying to accuse you. I was only trying to understand what had happened. I’m really sorry.”

For a second, Maya simply looked at me. Then, to my surprise, she gently placed both hands on my shoulders. “What are you talking about?” she asked with a warm smile. “You’re my sister. Why would I stay angry at you for something like that?”

I blinked. Wait… she wasn’t angry with me?