Chapter 4: The Four Million Dollar Betrayal
"HE DIDN'T DO IT! I WAS THE ONE WHO—"
Vanessa stopped mid-sentence.
Her mouth remained open, but the rest of the confession never came.
Michael slowly turned toward her.
"What did you just say?""
Vanessa's eyes darted between her husband, Daniel, and me.
"I meant... I was the one who told him to check the accounts. That's all.""
Daniel climbed the stairs, carrying a leather briefcase. His expression was unusually grim.
"Richard, we need to discuss this privately.""
I shook my head.
"No. Whatever you discovered, say it here. I'm tired of secrets in my own house.""
Daniel looked at Michael.
"Your son's credentials were used to authorize a transfer of three million, eight hundred thousand dollars from Anderson Holdings' reserve account. The funds were scheduled to move into an offshore account tomorrow morning.""
Michael stepped forward.
"That's impossible. I haven't authorized any transfer.""
Daniel opened his briefcase and removed several printed pages.
"Then perhaps you can explain why the authorization carries your digital signature, your employee identification number, and your security verification.""
Michael examined the papers.
His face became increasingly pale.
"I didn't do this.""
Vanessa grabbed his arm.
"Michael, don't say anything. Your father is trying to frame you.""
I looked at her.
"Interesting. A few minutes ago, you were telling everyone how incapable I was. Now you're worried that I might be capable of framing someone?""
She glared at me.
"You're twisting everything!""
Daniel placed another document on the table.
"There's something else. The destination account was opened under a company registered to Vanessa Anderson.""
Michael looked at his wife.
"What?""
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"That's not my company. Someone must have stolen my identity.""
Daniel shook his head.
"The registration documents include your passport number, your signature, and your personal email address.""
Michael took a step away from her.
"Vanessa, tell me what's happening.""
She immediately began crying.
"Baby, please. You know how much pressure I've been under. Your father has made my life miserable since we got married.""
I watched her carefully.
Even now, she was trying to turn every accusation into an attack against herself.
Daniel pulled out his phone.
"I've already contacted the bank's fraud department. The transfer has been flagged, and the funds are temporarily frozen.""
Vanessa's crying stopped.
"Frozen?""
"Yes.""
"But the money...""
She caught herself.
Michael stared at her.
"What money?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Nothing. I meant the company's money.""
I slowly sat down.
"Vanessa, how long have you been planning this?""
She folded her arms.
"Planning what? You're an old man who can't accept that his son has a life of his own.""
"Answer the question.""
"You've always treated Michael like a child. You never wanted him to become independent.""
Michael looked between us.
"Vanessa, stop.""
She turned on him.
"Don't you dare tell me to stop! I spent years pretending to respect this family. I sat through your father's endless lectures, smiled at his ridiculous dinner parties, and listened to him talk about how everything belonged to him.""
I looked at her quietly.
"Because everything does belong to me.""
She stepped toward me.
"And that's exactly the problem!""
Daniel immediately moved between us.
"Mrs. Anderson, I strongly advise you to calm down.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Or what? Are you going to arrest me?""
"No," Daniel replied.
"But the authorities may want to speak with you about the attempted transfer.""
Michael lowered himself onto the staircase.
"Vanessa, look at me.""
She ignored him.
"Baby, we need to leave.""
He looked up.
"Did you use my credentials?""
She said nothing.
"Did you?""
"I was protecting our future!""
Michael stared at her.
"By stealing from my father's company?""
"Your father was never going to give us anything!""
I felt those words land harder than Michael's punch.
Not because they were surprising.
Because they finally revealed the truth.
Vanessa hadn't married my son because she loved him.
She had married into a family she believed would eventually hand her a fortune.
And when the fortune didn't arrive quickly enough, she decided to take it.
Michael covered his face.
"How could you do this?""
Vanessa pointed at him.
"Don't act innocent! You agreed that we needed money. You told me your father would never voluntarily give us control.""
"I meant after he retired!""
"Same difference!""
Daniel looked at Michael.
"Did you know about the planned transfer?""
Michael shook his head.
"I knew Vanessa wanted access to the business accounts. She told me she needed money for a property investment.""
"Did you give her your login credentials?""
Michael hesitated.
Then he nodded.
"Two weeks ago. She said she needed to review some financial reports.""
Daniel closed his briefcase.
"That will need to be investigated.""
I looked at my son.
"Michael, did you know about the fake medical evaluation?""
He lowered his eyes.
"No.""
"Did you know she planned to accuse me of assaulting her?""
"No.""
"Then why did you hit me?""
He looked up.
His eyes were wet.
"I thought she was telling the truth.""
"You didn't even ask me.""
"I was angry.""
"Anger doesn't give you permission to break your father's face.""
Michael began crying.
For a moment, the hallway was silent.
Then Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"I'm leaving.""
Daniel stepped aside but pointed toward the table.
"Before you go, you'll need to provide an explanation for these documents.""
She glared at him.
"I don't have to explain anything.""
"That's your choice.""
She turned toward Michael.
"Come with me.""
He didn't move.
"Michael!""
He shook his head.
"I need to think.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
"You ungrateful coward.""
She stormed down the staircase.
A moment later, the front door slammed.
Chloe stood frozen near the hallway window.
"Is she gone?"" she whispered.
Daniel nodded.
"For now.""
I looked at the recording device in my hand.
"Daniel, I want everything preserved. Every recording, every transaction, every document.""
"Of course.""
"And I want the company protected before morning.""
Daniel nodded.
"Already underway.""
Michael slowly stood.
"Dad, can I talk to you?""
I looked at his swollen eyes.
"Not tonight.""
"Please.""
I turned toward my bedroom.
He followed me halfway down the hall.
"I know I made a terrible mistake.""
I stopped.
"Michael, a mistake is forgetting someone's birthday. You looked at your father lying on the floor and decided that he deserved it.""
He began sobbing.
I continued walking.
But before I closed my bedroom door, Daniel called out.
"Richard, there's one more thing.""
I turned.
He held up a final page from his briefcase.
"The attempted transfer wasn't the first withdrawal. Someone has been taking money from the company for almost eleven months.""
My stomach tightened.
"How much?""
Daniel looked at Michael.
"Approximately six hundred thousand dollars.""
I looked at my son.
He shook his head violently.
"I swear I didn't know.""
Daniel pointed to the name listed as the secondary beneficiary.
It wasn't Vanessa.
It wasn't Michael.
It was someone whose name I hadn't heard in years.
My late wife's younger brother.
May you like
Edward.
And according to the records, Edward had been receiving payments from the company long before Vanessa ever entered our family.
