Chapter 5: The Money Behind the Smile
Eleanor recovered first.
She straightened her expensive jacket and lifted her chin.
"Those payments were legitimate.""
Daniel didn't blink.
"Then explain them.""
"I provided consulting services.""
Victoria stared at her mother.
"What consulting services?""
Eleanor looked annoyed.
"Don't interrogate me like I'm a criminal.""
Victoria took the document from Daniel.
"Mother, these payments were approved through my department. I never authorized them.""
Eleanor's expression changed.
"Perhaps you should look more carefully at your own records.""
Daniel turned toward James.
"Get the finance director on the phone.""
James immediately stepped aside.
Within minutes, the hotel's finance director, Margaret Lewis, arrived carrying a laptop.
She was a woman in her fifties who had worked for the company for nearly twenty years.
"Mr. Carter, I received your message.""
Daniel handed her the document.
"Tell me what these payments are.""
Margaret examined the records.
Her forehead creased.
"These are listed as external guest-relations consulting fees.""
"Who submitted the invoices?""
Margaret typed rapidly.
"The vendor account is registered to Whitmore Hospitality Advisory.""
Victoria looked confused.
"That's my mother's company.""
Eleanor folded her arms.
"I've told you. Consulting.""
Margaret continued scrolling.
"There's something else.""
Daniel waited.
"These invoices were approved using your general manager's authorization code, Victoria.""
Victoria stared at the screen.
"That's impossible. I didn't approve them.""
Margaret turned the laptop around.
The approval records showed Victoria's digital authorization.
But the timestamps were unusual.
Several approvals had been processed at night, long after Victoria had left the hotel.
Daniel's expression darkened.
"Can someone access your credentials?""
Victoria looked toward her mother.
"Mother, do you know my office password?""
Eleanor scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous.""
"Do you?""
"I used to help you with administrative matters.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
Eleanor looked away.
Victoria's voice dropped.
"You used my credentials?""
"Your office was always available to me. I was helping you.""
"By paying yourself?""
Eleanor snapped.
"I brought wealthy clients into this hotel! I spent years protecting this family's interests!""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Your family's interests?""
Eleanor turned toward him.
"Yes, Daniel. Perhaps you don't understand how difficult it is to maintain relationships with important people.""
He gave a cold smile.
"I understand perfectly well. I also understand that people who provide legitimate services submit legitimate invoices.""
Margaret cleared her throat.
"Mr. Carter, I would recommend an immediate audit. Some invoices appear to reference events that never took place.""
Victoria looked horrified.
"How many?""
Margaret checked.
"At least sixteen.""
Emily watched from the sofa.
She had never imagined that a simple hotel check-in would expose something this complicated.
Her father approached her.
"How's the baby?""
"Sleeping.""
"Good. You should go upstairs and rest.""
Emily shook her head.
"Not yet.""
"Sweetheart, you don't need to stay for this.""
"I know. But those complaints you found? What about the people who never got an apology?""
Daniel studied her face.
He understood.
His daughter wasn't staying because she wanted revenge.
She was staying because she knew what it felt like to be powerless in a room full of people who refused to listen.
"All right," he said softly.
"We'll finish this properly.""
Across the lobby, Eleanor was growing increasingly agitated.
"Victoria, tell him to stop. This is a family matter.""
Victoria stared at her.
"You used my authorization to pay yourself with company money.""
"I did what was necessary.""
"Did you submit false invoices?""
Eleanor's eyes flashed.
"I will not stand here and be accused by my own daughter.""
Daniel interrupted.
"Then you should have thought about that before involving my company in your private arrangements.""
Eleanor suddenly turned toward Emily.
"This is all because of her, isn't it? If she had simply left when she was told, none of this would be happening.""
Emily stood.
"No. This is happening because you believed you could hurt someone and nobody would question you.""
Eleanor pointed at her.
"You have always had everything handed to you.""
Emily almost laughed.
Everything?
She remembered the nights she had spent alone in a hospital room after giving birth.
The sleepless mornings.
The years she had worked to establish her own career without using her father's name.
The marriage that had collapsed after her former husband began treating her like a financial opportunity.
She looked at Eleanor.
"You don't know anything about my life.""
Eleanor shrugged.
"I know enough.""
"No, you don't. You saw a woman in a simple blouse carrying a baby, and you decided she wasn't worth respecting.""
Emily paused.
"That's the only thing you need to know about yourself.""
Victoria looked away.
Margaret suddenly spoke.
"Mr. Carter, I found another issue.""
Daniel turned.
"What is it?""
She enlarged a document on the laptop.
"This consulting account has been receiving payments from a second source. A company called Northbridge Guest Solutions.""
Daniel frowned.
"Who owns it?""
Margaret clicked another file.
The registered director was a man named Peter Whitmore.
Eleanor's younger brother.
Daniel looked at Victoria.
"Does your uncle have any business relationship with the hotel?""
Victoria shook her head.
"Not that I'm aware of.""
Margaret opened the transaction details.
"Northbridge received payments for security staffing, guest relocation, and private event coordination.""
Emily frowned.
"Guest relocation?""
Margaret nodded.
"It appears the company was paid to arrange alternative accommodation for guests who were removed from the hotel.""
Daniel's expression became unreadable.
"Removed by whom?""
Margaret looked at the original complaint folder.
"Most of the requests originated from Eleanor Whitmore.""
Silence fell.
Victoria stared at her mother.
"Mother, what have you been doing?""
Eleanor's face hardened.
"I have no obligation to explain my business arrangements to you.""
Daniel took the laptop.
He examined the transaction dates.
Then he noticed something.
Several payments had been processed within hours of complaints being filed.
And one particular payment stood out.
A transfer of twenty-five thousand dollars had been made to Northbridge on the same day an elderly couple had been removed from the hotel.
"Margaret," he said, "I want the underlying contracts.""
She nodded.
"I'll retrieve them.""
Daniel looked toward Victoria.
"Did you know about any of this?""
Victoria shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes.
"No.""
Eleanor gave a bitter laugh.
"You're both acting as if I've committed some terrible crime. I've been doing what nobody else had the courage to do.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"What exactly does that mean?""
Eleanor looked at him.
For the first time, there was no embarrassment in her expression.
Only anger.
"It means I was protecting the hotel from people who didn't belong here.""
Emily felt a chill move through her.
"Who decided who belonged?""
Eleanor looked directly at her.
"I did.""
Daniel slowly closed the laptop.
"Then we have a much bigger problem than I thought.""
Margaret returned with another document.
She placed it on the desk.
"Mr. Carter, there's something else. Northbridge has a contract for tomorrow night.""
Daniel looked down.
The document described a private investor reception at the Grand Windsor.
The guest list included several major shareholders.
And at the bottom was a handwritten note:
*Remove any guests who may damage the hotel's image before the investors arrive.*
Signed:
*Eleanor Whitmore.*
But the most disturbing detail was the name listed beneath hers.
The person who had approved the instruction wasn't Victoria.
May you like
It was Daniel Carter.
Someone had forged his authorization.
