All Chapters of HIS SECRET ADDICTION: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Damien's POVThe deposition request arrived Wednesday morning.Federal investigators wanted to interview me about Maya's network, my knowledge of company finances, and any suspicious activity I might have witnessed over the past five years. Standard procedure, Sophie said. Nothing to worry about unless I had something to hide.I didn't. But the request came with a subpoena for financial records dating back eight years, which meant they were looking for something specific.Marcus came to my office after lunch."They're digging into the Chicago deal," he said, closing the door behind him. "The acquisition we made four years ago. Maya processed the paperwork.""That deal was clean.""The deal was clean. The financing wasn't." Marcus pulled up documents on his laptop. "I went back through everything last night. Three of the investors who backed us were shell corporations. They've since been dissolved. No paper trail, no beneficial owners listed anywhere."I sat down. "How much money are w

Damien's POVThe subpoena for company records arrived Thursday morning.Every financial transaction for the past decade. Every contract Maya had processed. Every vendor relationship she'd approved. The scope was massive, and Sophie estimated it would take three weeks minimum to compile everything."They're building a case," she said in my office. "Not against you specifically. Against the company. They want to see how deep the network went.""And if it went deeper than Maya?""Then we have a bigger problem." She set down her briefcase. "I need to bring in a forensic accounting team. Full audit. We need to find problems before the investigators do."I approved it. Marcus started coordinating with accounting. By noon we had a team of six auditors setting up in the conference room, boxes of files already stacked against the walls.Alex stopped by at lunch."This is going to get expensive," he said, looking at the auditors through the glass."Already is. Sophie's billing two hundred an ho

Damien's POVThe board meeting started exactly at nine.All ten members were present. Sterling at one end of the table, me at the other. Victoria and Marcus flanking me. Sophie took notes because that was her job, and I still had no proof she was anything other than what she appeared to be."Thank you all for coming on short notice," I said. "We've discovered additional issues related to the Maya Patel investigation that require immediate disclosure."Sterling leaned back in his chair. "More issues. Wonderful."I ignored him and pulled up the presentation Marcus had prepared. "Our internal audit has identified a network of shell vendors created by Maya over the past eight years. Total funds moved through these fake companies: eight point three million dollars."The room went silent."Eight million," Henderson repeated. "How did this go undetected?""Maya controlled the vendor approval system. She created the checks and balances she was supposed to be monitored by." I clicked to the ne

Damien's POVChen arrested David Reeves at six in the morning.I got the call at six fifteen while Alex was still asleep. They'd picked him up at his apartment with a warrant. Found fifty thousand dollars in cash hidden in a closet safe. He'd lawyered up immediately and wasn't talking.By seven, the story was on three business news sites. By eight, Sterling had called an emergency board meeting for ten.Alex woke up to me sitting on the edge of the bed, already dressed."It's happening," he said. Not a question."Board meeting at ten. Sterling's calling the vote. Chen arrested Reeves an hour ago." I stood. "This is it."He got up without another word. We moved around each other in the bathroom, getting ready in silence. There wasn't much to say that we hadn't already said.In the car, he reached for my hand."Whatever happens today," he said, "we figure out what comes next together."I nodded. Couldn't quite manage words yet.**************,****The board room was packed by nine forty

Damien's POVSecurity caught Sophie before she reached the server room.Chen arrested her at seven. By eight, the story was everywhere. By nine, Sterling called me."You were right about Sophie," he said. No apology in his voice. Just acknowledgement. "The board is meeting tomorrow to discuss reinstating you.""I don't want to be reinstated."Silence on the other end. "What?""You heard me. I'm done, Richard. Find someone else to run the company." I hung up before he could respond.Alex looked up from his laptop. "You just turned down your company.""I turned down Sterling's company. There's a difference." I sat next to him on the couch. "He'll fight me for months. Undermine every decision. Make my life miserable because I proved him wrong about Sophie. I don't have the energy for that anymore.""What do you have energy for?""This." I gestured between us. "Figuring out what comes next without a board breathing down my neck."He closed his laptop. "Are you sure? Because Victoria calle