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He shakes his head. “That was a deadline I’d set for myself. I knew I couldn’t postpone it any longer.”
“Oh, you needed pressure. Good to know.” I circle around him, my heels clacking on the hardwood floor. “You were right though. I was taunting you. That’s why I decided to take you with me—to give you a taste of what it felt like to be betrayed. But kudos to you. I failed and you managed to do it again.”
His hand reaches for my arm, stopping me. I look at him wide-eyed, the pain slowly being replaced with determination. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“I’m not. You showed me your true colors once again. And I’ve finally got the closure I needed.” I sigh and grab his hand, pushing it off me. Not looking back, I leave his office, slamming the door shut behind me.
He doesn’t run after me to beg for forgiveness or to tell me that he’ll do anything to fix this. Not that it would change anything, but the fact that he doesn’t even try, that hurts too.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Brian
Thereisaloudthud as the report lands on my father’s desk. He leans back and stares at nothing while a deep frown forms on his forehead. His lips twitch a little before he compresses them into a thin line. “This is… unexpected,” he manages to say after a few minutes of complete silence.
It’s clear that the software has been altering our system, creating double versions of the company’s expenses, but that’s not what my father is surprised by. Being betrayed by his protégé is far worse than he expected.
Arthur has been in the company for almost seven years and he seemed to have proven himself worthy of the position. Our rise to the top was almost in parallel with him becoming CFO a few months before my father decided to give me full control of the company. Perhaps that wasn’t enough. If I hadn’t shown up on my father’s doorstep six years ago, Arthur would probably be in my position today.
“I had everything reevaluated by a new finance team and everything leads to Arthur.”
Not that Carol’s report left any room for discussion—her work is meticulous—but before I went forward with accusing anyone, I needed official proof, something I couldn’t have from my own employees. Arthur could not have done this alone and I have no way of knowing who else is involved.
Father shakes his head and takes a deep breath. It’s clear that he’s in no mood to discuss this any further. “Just call the police and be done with it. If it’s Arthur, then he should…” his voice trails off.
With great effort, he gets up and heads for the liquor cabinet. Under any other circumstances I would protest, but we both need something strong to calm our nerves.
Arthur and I have always butted heads, mostly because my father’s attention and expectations shifted from him to me, but it never crossed my mind that he’d do something like this. He has one of the highest positions in the company, ensuring a very comfortable future for himself. Harming my reputation is one thing, but embezzling money and risking the reputation of the company is another—one that would harm him the most, given that we’d lose much more money once our financial troubles were revealed.
I pull out my phone and send a quick message to Andrew. “Done,” I say as my father puts a glass of scotch in front of me. He raises an eyebrow. “I had everything ready but wanted your approval before I had Andrew proceed with the charges. Our lawyers say it’s a matter of hours before he’ll be arrested.”
The report Carol prepared does not name the person who tweaked the transactions and made the falsifications but lays out the pattern of action. It is followed by the police investigation of all the staff and even the board members. Now that we’ve indicated we want to move forward pressing charges, the police will tell us who the culprit and the accessories are.
“Glad to see that you are not wasting time on that front.” He goes back to his seat and crosses his arms. There’s disappointment on his face and I know it’s not just for his old friend.
“I’ll try to talk to her again,” I assure him even though I don’t know how to do it. She hasn’t responded to my phone calls or messages. I’m sure she’s not been at home for at least a week. Even though I can track her down, I don’t want to creep her out by showing up at a friend’s house or a hotel. Her new job though might be an option.
I shift in my seat, his prying stare making me even more nervous.
“I just need to find her first,” I admit and finally tell him what has transpired after we returned from the trip. Unfazed by my statement that she won’t talk to me, he just motions at my phone.
“Why don’t you send her a message like you just did with Andrew? Even if she doesn’t want to talk to you, she will still read it.” For the first time today, my father’s face breaks into a smile.
But I can’t do that. My fists clench at the mere thought of trying to properly explain my actions in a text message. In some sense, it feels even worse than the way I disappeared.
“I need to do it in person this time.”
I take a sip of my drink and swish it around my mouth so that the burning sensation spreads everywhere before I swallow it.
Dennis has not replied to my messages either but I’m sure he’ll be at work today. If I talk to him, I might be able to get through to her. Or at least give her a message through him.
“I hope you do. It’s a shame to—” Father takes another deep breath and undoes a few buttons of his shirt.
“Are you alright?” I stand up but he waves his hand.
“I’m pissed, Brian: with Arthur, myself, and you.” He looks around the room as his anger starts to build up. “Don’t waste your life like I did, Kid,” he says at last and dismisses me.
The words hurt but I leave without a protest. My meeting with Arthur is in half an hour and I want to talk with him before the police arrive.
