She Called Him Broke in Front of a Billion-Dollar Empire—Then Her CEO Boyfriend Called Him Chairman

For several seconds, nobody in the conference room moved.

Vanessa stared at Alexander's phone.

The message remained illuminated on the screen.

*CLAIRE: He doesn't know about the second account yet. Don't let Marcus find it.*

Alexander reached for the phone.

Marcus raised one hand.

“Leave it where it is.””

Alexander froze.

“Mr. Reed, that's a private message.””

Marcus looked at him calmly.

“Then you shouldn't have received it during an emergency investigation involving your department.””

“It's not what you think.””

Vanessa let out a short, disbelieving laugh.

“Really, Alexander? Because it looks exactly like what I think.””

He turned toward her.

“Vanessa, please. Not now.””

“Not now?”” Her voice cracked.

“You've been meeting Claire behind my back?””

“It's business.””

“Business?””

She pointed at the photograph.

“You told me Claire was helping you find investors. You said she was introducing you to wealthy clients. Was that business too?””

Alexander rubbed his forehead.

“Claire knows people in the industry.””

“And apparently, she knows you rather well.””

Richard Hale shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Marcus closed the file in front of him.

“Alexander, I'm going to ask you one question. I expect a direct answer.””

Alexander straightened.

“Yes, sir.””

“Does a second account exist?””

“No.””

Peter Lawson suddenly looked up.

“That's not true.””

Alexander turned toward him.

“Watch what you're saying.””

Peter opened his briefcase and removed a flash drive.

“I have the transaction records. The second account was opened under a holding company called Northbridge Consulting.””

Marcus looked at Olivia.

“Do we have any connection between Northbridge and Sterling Global?””

Olivia checked her tablet.

“Not in our official vendor records.””

Peter swallowed.

“Because it isn't registered under Sterling Global. It's a private company.””

Vanessa's hands tightened around the arms of her chair.

“Who owns it?””

Peter hesitated.

Alexander stood up.

“This is ridiculous. You're taking the word of a disgruntled former employee over mine?””

Marcus didn't raise his voice.

“Sit down, Alexander.””

“This investigation is becoming personal.””

“No,” Marcus replied.

“It became personal when company money started disappearing.””

Alexander reluctantly sat.

Marcus nodded toward Peter.

“Continue.””

Peter connected the flash drive to the conference room computer.

A folder appeared on the screen.

Inside were spreadsheets, scanned contracts, and bank transfer confirmations.

Peter opened one document.

“Northbridge received payments from several companies that were paid by Sterling Global. The money was transferred through different accounts before reaching its final destination.””

Richard leaned forward.

“Who authorized these transfers?””

Peter pointed to a digital approval record.

“Mr. Cole.””

Alexander shook his head.

“That approval is forged.””

Peter opened another document.

“This is the email you sent me.””

He read aloud.

“'Make sure the Northbridge payment clears before the quarterly audit. Keep the original vendor description unchanged.''”

Alexander's face tightened.

“That email has been taken out of context.””

Marcus folded his arms.

“What context makes hiding payments before an audit acceptable?””

Alexander said nothing.

Vanessa looked between the two men.

She suddenly remembered the expensive vacations, the jewelry, and the apartment Alexander had insisted on renting for her.

He had told her everything came from his personal investments.

He had even joked that being a CEO had its privileges.

Now she wondered whether those privileges had been purchased with money stolen from the company.

“Alexander,” she whispered.

“Where did the money go?””

He avoided her eyes.

“Please don't do this.””

“Where did it go?””

He finally turned toward her.

“You have no idea what pressure I've been under.””

Vanessa stared at him.

“So you used my company?””

“I was trying to build something.””

“With my name?””

He didn't answer.

Peter spoke again.

“There is something else, Mr. Reed.””

Marcus looked at him.

“What?””

“The second account wasn't the final destination. The money was moved into an investment company registered overseas.””

Olivia typed quickly.

“What's the name?””

Peter looked down at his notes.

“Meridian Crown Holdings.””

Richard frowned.

“I know that company. It appeared in the acquisition documents for the East Coast logistics project.””

Marcus's expression hardened.

“That's impossible.””

“Why?”” Alexander asked.

Marcus turned toward Richard.

“Because Meridian Crown was supposed to be an independent investor.””

Richard nodded slowly.

“Yes, sir.””

Marcus looked back at Peter.

“Who owns it?””

Peter hesitated.

Then he opened another document.

A shareholder register appeared.

There were three names.

Alexander Cole.

Claire Morgan.

And Vanessa Bennett.

Vanessa stopped breathing.

“What?””

Alexander closed his eyes.

Peter continued.

“Miss Bennett's company was used to establish the initial funding structure. Her signature appears on the original registration documents.””

Vanessa shook her head.

“I never signed anything like that.””

Peter turned toward her.

“Your signature is on the paperwork.””

“I've never seen those documents!””

Alexander leaned forward.

“Vanessa, calm down.””

She turned toward him.

“You told me I was signing papers for a joint marketing venture!””

“You were.””

“Then why am I listed as a shareholder in an overseas investment company?””

Alexander didn't answer.

Marcus studied the documents.

“Olivia, make copies of everything. I want our external auditors and legal counsel involved immediately.””

“Yes, Mr. Reed.””

He turned toward Alexander.

“Effective immediately, your financial authorization privileges are suspended pending investigation.””

Alexander stood up.

“You cannot do that without a board vote.””

Marcus looked at him.

“I can suspend delegated authority when there is credible evidence of financial misconduct. The board will review the matter this afternoon.””

“You're making a terrible mistake.””

“Perhaps. But I prefer mistakes that protect the company.””

Alexander's face turned red.

“You think you're untouchable because you own the majority of the shares?””

Marcus slowly stood.

“No. I know I'm accountable because I do.””

The room fell silent.

Then Vanessa's phone vibrated.

A message from Claire appeared.

Where are you? Alexander said you were causing problems. We need to talk.

Vanessa stared at the screen.

Her fingers trembled as she typed.

Why is your name on a company with Alexander?

The reply came almost immediately.

Don't believe anything you hear in that room.

Another message followed.

Especially not from Marcus.

Vanessa looked up.

Marcus was speaking quietly with Olivia.

She suddenly wondered whether Claire had been telling her the truth all along.

“Mr. Reed?””

Marcus turned.

“Yes?””

“Can I see the original documents?””

He studied her.

“Why?””

“Because I need to know whether my signature is real.””

Marcus nodded toward Olivia.

“Make her a copy of the registration file.””

Vanessa stood.

“And I want to know what happened to the money.””

Alexander laughed bitterly.

“Now you want answers?””

She looked at him.

“Yes. Because apparently, I've been sleeping beside a stranger.””

Alexander's jaw tightened.

Before he could respond, the conference room doors opened.

A young legal assistant hurried inside.

“Mr. Reed, I'm sorry to interrupt.””

“What is it?””

She placed a document in front of him.

“The external audit team just found another transaction. It was processed forty-eight hours ago.””

Marcus scanned the page.

His eyes narrowed.

“What amount?””

“Fourteen million dollars.””

Richard nearly dropped his pen.

“Fourteen million?””

The assistant nodded.

“And the recipient account belongs to a company registered in London.””

Marcus looked at the name.

For the first time that morning, his expression showed genuine surprise.

He turned the document toward Vanessa.

“Do you recognize this company?””

Vanessa leaned forward.

The name was printed in bold letters.

*BENNETT FAMILY TRUST.*

Her father's company.

Her late father's company.

And according to the transaction record, the fourteen million dollars had been transferred into an account controlled by someone using her father's old authorization credentials.

Vanessa's voice barely emerged.

“That's impossible.””

Marcus looked at her.

“Why?””

She stared at the document.

“Because my father died five years ago.””

Then she noticed the authorization date.