Chapter 14 - The Transfers Nobody Saw Coming
Emma's phone remained on speaker.
No one in the apartment moved.
Her accountant continued speaking, unaware that every person involved in the story was standing only a few feet away.
"Emma, are you there?"
"Yes," she answered weakly.
"We've identified six transfers over the past three months."
"How much?"
A pause followed.
"Approximately four hundred and eighty thousand dollars."
Emma nearly dropped the phone.
"What?"
"The money was moved through three consulting firms."
She looked directly at Mark.
"I never approved those transfers."
The accountant hesitated.
"The electronic signatures were valid."
Rachel immediately stepped closer.
"Can you email every transaction record to me right now?"
"Who is this?"
"I'm Rachel Bennett, attorney for Ms. Laura Dawson. I believe we may be looking at a larger pattern."
"I'll send everything immediately."
The call ended.
Emma slowly lowered the phone.
She wasn't crying anymore.
Shock had replaced tears.
Mark finally spoke.
"I can explain."
Vanessa laughed.
"You always say that right before things become much worse."
Emma stared at him.
"Did you steal from my company?"
"I borrowed money."
"You forged my approval?"
"It was temporary."
"There is no such thing as temporarily forging someone's signature!"
Her voice echoed through the apartment.
Mark took one step toward her.
"I was going to put everything back."
"When?"
"After my next investment."
Vanessa folded her arms.
"The investment that doesn't exist?"
Mark ignored her.
Emma opened her banking app with trembling fingers.
One by one, she compared the dates.
Every transfer had happened on days Mark claimed he was meeting investors.
She looked up slowly.
"You were meeting banks."
"No."
"Debt collectors?"
"No."
"Lawyers?"
Mark said nothing.
That silence became his answer.
Rachel's phone vibrated.
The transaction reports had arrived.
She scanned the first page.
Then the second.
Then a third.
Finally she looked at Mark.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"One of the receiving companies appears to have the same registered mailing address as your former business."
Vanessa frowned.
"I thought that company was dissolved."
"It officially was."
Rachel tapped the document.
"Unofficially... someone kept using it."
Emma whispered,
"Mark..."
"How many companies do you actually own?"
He closed his eyes.
"I don't know anymore."
Nobody expected that answer.
It sounded less like dishonesty...
May you like
...and more like complete collapse.
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