Chapter 4: The Second Attachment
“Why did you send eight thousand five hundred dollars to a company owned by your brother?””
Gloria's question hung in the small office.
Trent didn't answer.
He stood beside the desk, his ruined leather jacket hanging from one hand. A streak of white paint had reached his shirt cuff. He kept rubbing it with his thumb, as though removing the stain would somehow restore his authority.
Renee sat motionless.
Nadia remained beside the computer, staring at the bank transfer confirmation.
Eight thousand five hundred dollars.
She had been promised six thousand for the mural. She had received a small deposit, bought her own additional supplies, and spent three nights completing the work.
Meanwhile, someone had submitted a payment request for a project that hadn't even started.
And the money had gone somewhere else.
Gloria clicked the second attachment.
It was an invoice.
The document carried the name of a company called Trent's brother, Mason, had registered several months earlier: Westbridge Property Services.
The invoice described a series of renovation services.
- Wall restoration. - Structural surface preparation. - Commercial paint treatment. - Decorative installation.
Total: $8,500.
At the bottom was a digital authorization bearing Gloria's name.
She leaned closer.
“That isn't my signature.””
Trent immediately responded.
“It's an electronic approval.””
“I know what an electronic approval is. I didn't approve this.””
“You probably forgot.””
Gloria looked up.
“Don't tell me what I remember.””
Trent pulled a chair away from the wall.
“Look, the company did perform some work. Mason helped us with repairs.””
“What repairs?””
“The back storage area.””
Gloria glanced toward the door.
“The storage area that still has a leaking ceiling?””
Trent's expression tightened.
“That wasn't part of the invoice.””
“Then what was?””
“General maintenance.””
Gloria turned the monitor toward him.
“Show me one photograph of this work.””
Trent didn't move.
“Trent?””
He sighed.
“I don't have photographs.””
“Receipts?””
“Not with me.””
“Workers' names?””
“Why are you making this so complicated?””
Gloria slowly closed the invoice.
“Because you used my business account to pay a company I never hired.””
Renee finally spoke.
“Gloria, I can explain.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She adjusted her badge.
“Trent told me the payment was part of a renovation package. He said you had already agreed to it during a management meeting.””
Gloria stared at her.
“What meeting?””
“The one last month.””
“I was in London last month.””
Renee's mouth closed.
Gloria leaned forward.
“So tell me again. Which meeting?””
Renee looked at Trent.
He gave her a warning stare.
“Renee,” he said quietly, “think about what you're saying.””
Nadia noticed her fingers twisting around the edge of her chair.
Gloria noticed too.
“Are you afraid of him?””
“No,” Renee answered too quickly.
Trent stood.
“This is becoming ridiculous. I'm not sitting here while everyone treats me like a criminal.””
Gloria pointed toward the chair.
“Sit down.””
“I have customers to manage.””
“Not today.””
Trent laughed.
“You can't just suspend me.””
“I'm the owner. I can.””
He looked at Renee.
“Tell her.””
Renee remained silent.
“Renee!””
She finally lifted her eyes.
“I think we should let Gloria review the records.””
Trent stared at her as though she'd slapped him.
Nadia quietly picked up her phone.
Gloria returned to the computer.
“There's another thing I want to check.””
She opened the transaction details.
The transfer had been made in two installments.
The first was $5,000.
The second was $3,500.
Both had been approved within minutes of each other.
The authorization came from an account registered to the café's finance department.
Gloria frowned.
“We don't have a finance department.””
Trent's face changed.
Nadia looked at him.
“What?””
Gloria clicked the account profile.
A user name appeared.
*TRent.H — Finance Administrator.*
Gloria turned slowly.
“You created an administrator account?””
Trent shrugged.
“Someone had to handle the invoices.””
“You were hired to manage the floor, inventory, and staff.””
“I was helping the business.””
“You gave yourself financial access?””
“I was authorized.””
“By whom?””
Trent looked at the screen.
Then he said nothing.
Gloria printed the transaction record.
“I'm calling our accountant.””
Trent stepped forward.
“Don't.””
Gloria picked up her phone.
“Why?””
“Because this is an internal matter.””
“It's my money.””
“It's a misunderstanding.””
“Then an accountant should have no trouble clearing it up.””
She dialed.
Trent walked toward the door.
Gloria stopped him.
“Where are you going?””
“To get some air.””
“You're staying until I finish documenting this.””
He laughed.
“You can't keep me here.””
“I'm not keeping you anywhere. But if you leave, don't expect to walk back into this office and access the company's accounts.””
That made him stop.
He looked at the computer.
Then at the phone in Gloria's hand.
For the first time, Nadia saw something other than arrogance in his expression.
Fear.
The accountant answered.
Gloria explained the situation, read out the transaction numbers, and asked for an immediate review.
After a brief pause, she put the call on speaker.
“Gloria,” the accountant said, “there's something you should know.””
“What?””
“The $8,500 transfer wasn't the only payment made to Westbridge Property Services.””
Trent's head snapped up.
The accountant continued.
“We found three additional payments over the past six weeks.””
Gloria gripped the desk.
“How much?””
“Another $17,200.””
Silence.
Nadia stared at the screen.
Renee whispered, “Oh my God.””
Gloria slowly looked at Trent.
“Seventeen thousand two hundred dollars?””
Trent opened his mouth.
But before he could speak, the accountant added one final sentence.
“And all four payments were submitted under the same project code.””
Gloria's eyes narrowed.
“What project?””
The accountant read the description.
“Front wall renovation and mural installation.””
Nadia looked at the ruined mural outside.
The same mural Trent had just destroyed.
Gloria ended the call.
Then she turned toward him.
“You charged my company for the same mural four times?””
Trent's expression hardened.
“You don't understand how these things work.””
Gloria stood.
“Then explain them.””
He looked at Nadia.
And for the first time, she realized that he wasn't worried about the ruined jacket anymore.
He was worried about what the wall might reveal.
Because there was still one document Gloria hadn't found.
The original contract with the property management company.
And Nadia suddenly remembered something.
May you like
She had signed her own copy.
But Trent had asked her to leave one page blank.
