Chapter 2: The Report He Never Wanted Her to Open
The folder landed on the table with a quiet but unmistakable thud.
Curtis stared at it.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
The guests nearby had stopped pretending not to listen.
Bianca looked from the folder to her fiancé.
"What is that?"" she asked.
Tessa opened the cover.
"An independent financial audit of our former restaurant.""
Curtis immediately reached toward it.
"Put that away.""
Tessa moved the folder out of his reach.
"Why?""
"Because this is a private matter.""
"You didn't seem concerned about privacy five minutes ago.""
His jaw tightened.
"You're embarrassing yourself.""
Tessa looked at the guests surrounding them.
"Actually, I was invited here.""
Curtis lowered his voice.
"Don't do this, Tessa.""
She turned to him.
"You already did it for me.""
Four years earlier, she had sat in a cramped office above their restaurant, surrounded by unpaid invoices and unopened bank statements.
She remembered the smell of burnt coffee.
The cold fluorescent lights.
The way Curtis had thrown a stack of bills onto the desk.
"We're finished," he had said.
Tessa had stared at him.
"What do you mean, finished?""
"The business is done.""
"But the weekend reservations are full. We have catering contracts next month. We can renegotiate the supplier payments.""
Curtis had rubbed his forehead.
"Stop pretending you can fix everything with a menu.""
She remembered standing up.
"I've been asking you for the bank statements for three months. You keep telling me everything is under control.""
"It was under control.""
"Then where did the money go?""
He had looked at her with an expression she would never forget.
"You want someone to blame? Look in the mirror.""
Within weeks, the restaurant closed.
Creditors called.
Employees lost their jobs.
And Curtis told everyone that Tessa's poor management had destroyed their dream.
The divorce agreement was signed six months later.
Tessa had kept copies of the business records because something about the numbers had never made sense.
Her lawyer eventually arranged an independent audit.
The findings were devastating.
But by then, Tessa had already decided that arguing with Curtis was costing her more than walking away.
She had taken a job in another kitchen.
She worked double shifts.
She saved.
She started again.
The audit stayed in a locked cabinet in her office.
Until tonight.
Now, standing beneath the golden lights of Curtis's new restaurant, she turned to the page marked with a yellow tab.
"Do you remember the final six months before the restaurant closed?"" she asked.
Curtis crossed his arms.
"Of course.""
"Do you remember telling me our business account was nearly empty because suppliers had increased their prices?""
"That's what happened.""
Tessa turned the folder toward him.
"Then explain these withdrawals.""
Curtis's eyes dropped to the page.
His face lost its color.
The document showed a series of transfers from the restaurant's operating account to a personal account controlled by him.
The dates were listed.
The amounts were listed.
The receiving account was listed.
And beside several transactions was a handwritten notation from the auditor.
*Transfers unrelated to restaurant operations.*
Bianca leaned forward.
"What withdrawals?""
Curtis didn't answer.
Tessa pointed to the figures.
"Over six months, money was transferred out of our business account in amounts ranging from two thousand to nearly nine thousand dollars.""
Curtis swallowed.
"That report is misleading.""
"Is it?""
"Those were business expenses.""
"Then why did the auditor identify the receiving account as yours?""
A guest quietly put down his glass.
Bianca's expression became increasingly serious.
Curtis glanced around.
"Can we have this conversation somewhere private?""
Tessa shook her head.
"You chose a public room when you decided to humiliate me.""
"I didn't steal anything.""
"I didn't say you did.""
She tapped the report.
"I said you transferred money from the restaurant account to pay personal expenses.""
Curtis leaned closer.
"Those transfers were temporary.""
"Temporary?""
"I was going to replace the money.""
"With what?""
He had no answer.
Tessa continued.
"Do you remember the night you told me the bank was threatening foreclosure because I had mismanaged the restaurant?""
Curtis looked away.
"That was four years ago.""
"You told me you had personally put every dollar you owned into keeping the place open.""
"I did.""
"No, Curtis. You didn't.""
She turned another page.
The audit showed payments to several personal creditors.
Among them were transactions connected to gambling accounts and outstanding personal debts.
Curtis's fingers curled against the edge of the table.
Tessa spoke clearly.
"You withdrew money to pay gambling debts. Don't blame me.""
Bianca went still.
The folder remained open between them.
Curtis looked at the report, then quickly turned toward Bianca.
He was trying to read her expression.
Trying to calculate how much she understood.
"Bianca, listen to me," he said.
"This is not what it looks like.""
She didn't look at him.
She was reading the page.
"Is this your account number?"" she asked.
Curtis hesitated.
"It's complicated.""
"Is it yours?""
"Yes, but—"
"Did you use restaurant money to pay gambling debts?""
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Everybody makes mistakes.""
Bianca stared at him.
"That's not an answer.""
Tessa quietly closed the folder halfway.
She hadn't come to destroy Curtis's new relationship.
She hadn't even known Bianca would be asked to finance the new restaurant.
But now she understood something.
The same pattern was repeating.
Curtis was standing in another beautiful restaurant, surrounded by people he wanted to impress, while someone else was being asked to trust him with money.
She glanced at the table.
There was a black leather document portfolio beside Bianca's handbag.
A fountain pen rested on top.
Tessa recognized the familiar layout of a business loan agreement.
She looked at Bianca.
"Are you investing in this restaurant?""
Bianca's eyes shifted toward the paperwork.
"I'm providing a personal guarantee for the business loan.""
Tessa said nothing.
Curtis quickly stepped between them.
"That's enough.""
Bianca looked up.
"Why are you getting nervous?""
"I'm not nervous.""
"You've been telling me for months that the business plan is solid.""
"It is.""
"Then why are you afraid of an old audit?""
Curtis gave a frustrated sigh.
"Because your ex-wife is trying to sabotage me.""
Tessa looked at him.
"I'm not your wife anymore, Curtis. And I have no reason to sabotage your business.""
"Then why bring those papers?""
"Because you told these people I destroyed something you built.""
She looked down at the report.
"I wanted you to remember who actually paid the price.""
For a moment, Curtis seemed unable to respond.
Then he leaned toward Bianca.
"Baby, look at me.""
She did.
"That money was borrowed. I was dealing with personal problems. I was under pressure. The restaurant was failing anyway.""
"Did you tell me that before I agreed to guarantee this loan?""
Curtis hesitated.
"I told you we had some financial difficulties.""
"Did you tell me about the gambling debts?""
He lowered his voice.
"Not everything needs to be discussed in front of strangers.""
Bianca looked at the guests.
Then back at him.
"You invited Tessa here.""
Curtis's mouth opened.
"You wanted me to see how successful you were," Bianca continued.
"You wanted her to feel small.""
"That's not true.""
"Then why did you introduce her as the woman who ruined your life?""
Curtis didn't answer.
Bianca slowly pulled the loan agreement closer.
Tessa noticed the document was already filled out.
The lender's name.
The loan amount.
The repayment schedule.
And Bianca's information as the personal guarantor.
Only one thing remained.
Her signature.
Curtis followed her gaze.
"Baby, we need to finish this tonight. The bank is expecting the signed papers.""
Bianca picked up the pen.
For a second, Curtis relaxed.
Then she turned toward the final page.
"Before I sign," she said, "I have one question.""
Curtis forced a smile.
"Anything.""
Bianca placed the tip of the pen above the signature line.
"How much money do you actually owe?""
May you like
Curtis's smile vanished.
And Tessa realized the audit in her hands might only be the beginning.
