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“No, it’s not but at the time we restructured and upgraded our system, it opened a risk of security breach. You do recall that we invested in Crime Insurance four years ago to provide effective risk transfer against internal fraud.”
Blake dragged his hand through his long hair. “I know,” he said. “Still, are we just going to let it go like that? Allow little Mrs. Penelope Carver to live in the lap of luxury on our money? Just because her scheming husband got killed?”
“No, we’re not. The Internal Forensic Team is already busy with an investigation. One way or the other, we’ll track that money.”
“What do we tell the investors?”
“Nothing. They don’t need to know. We go ahead with the project. This time, I want you to take charge. It’s a huge project. One we can’t afford to fuck up.” Alex picked up the folder his assistant had placed on his desk earlier. He uncapped his Mont Blanc. The signature he penned on the contract conveyed the silent fury that was curling deep inside him. “You’ll have to inform his clients of his death and re-allocate his projects.”
“Even the Chi Fung Foundation?”
Alex looked up. “Fuck! I forgot about that. It’s one of our key re-development projects. One, I have personally already invested a lot of time and money in.”
“Drew was the only one they were prepared to work with.”
“Yeah.” Alex dragged out the word, his expression turned pensive. “Because he was a ‘happily married man’ with a baby on the way. Family is inherently important to Zhang Wei Chén. He wouldn’t think twice before tearing up that contract if he doesn’t like Drew’s replacement.”
“We are the only ones who can handle this deal. Neither one of us is married nor, heaven forbid, have little brats running around our feet.”
“That presents a problem.” Alex replaced the cap on the pen and leaned back in the chair. “Ask Drew’s PA to bring me all the data they have on the Chinese project. Leave Zhang Wei Chén to me to deal with. In the meantime, find out everything you can about Penelope Carver and keep me up to date on funeral arrangements. We need to show our respect to our dearly departed employee and offer condolences to his grieving widow.”
“May his soul rest in peace.”
The somber tone of the priest droned on in the background. Penny had stopped listening when he began singing Drew Carver’s praises. Her ex-husband, who she hadn’t seen in over six months—ever since she’d obtained a restraining order against him. Their two-year marriage had been over for eighteen months already. The same amount of time they had been separated. She’d filed for divorce the day she’d realized what a scam artist he was, but he had refused to sign the papers. Instead, he’d begun hounding her, calling her, begging her to forgive him and take him back. He had suddenly had an epiphany that he’d been wrong and all that mattered was their love for each other.
Yeah, right, only you never loved me, you asshole. You were in love with my gran’s money.
When he realized that Penny wasn’t going to budge, he’d finally signed the papers. She had been a free woman a short two-weeks when she’d received the news that he’d been killed in a motor vehicle accident.
Penny had been shocked, but at the time, couldn’t dredge up any sorrow over his death.
She still couldn’t, even now ... standing beside his grave. Bitterness flooded her as she watched the coffin being lowered into the ground. She’d invested her heart and soul into their relationship. For a year he’d wooed her, treated her like a princess and she’d believed that she had found her soulmate.
Like hell I did. I wasted three years of my life!
She had been so stupid, so much in love that she’d blindly believed all his honey coated lies of love and devotion. When he’d proposed they get married in Gran’s hospital room, she never questioned his intentions. Her thoughts drifted back two years.
“Do you know what your gran’s biggest wish is, darling?” Drew asked. He kissed the palm of her hand. His eyes were warm and engaging.
Penny felt tears burn behind her eyes. Her grandmother was the only family she had left and was on her deathbed, finally having lost the battle against lung cancer.
“I know what my wish for her is,” she said in a trembling voice. Penny couldn’t envision life without her. The woman had given up so much to support and look after her grandchild after Penny’s parents had died in a boating accident. Penny had been eight years old.
Drew pulled her into his arms. “I know it’s difficult, darling, but you have to be strong for her.” He tilted back her head with a finger under her chin. “The only thing she desires right now is to see you wed.”
Penny frowned. “She hasn’t said anything to me.”
“Because she doesn’t want to push you. How about it, Penny? We are planning to get married at some point, so why not now? At least you’ll get to see how happy it makes Gran Erin.”
Penny chewed on her lip as she considered Drew’s proposal. She wasn’t ready for marriage. Yes, she loved him and wanted to be his wife, but not yet. It was too soon.
“Maybe. But, you know I want my company in the black before we get married. I don’t want to work long hours at the cost of our marriage.”
“Don’t you think I’ll understand and support you, Penny? Isn’t that what marriage is all about?” Drew kissed her deeply and gazed lovingly into her eyes. “I adore you, my Penelope, and neither of us is getting any younger. Will you please marry me?”
“Mrs. Carver?”
The priest’s subdued tone yanked her from her musings.
