“We deeply regret your situation, Mrs. Vance,” Sterling said smoothly. “However, Mason manages key corporate accounts. Perhaps a quiet, out-of-court resolution would benefit everyone involved.”
“What benefits me is holding him accountable for what he did.”
Sterling stopped smiling. “A public scandal can destroy careers and corporate reputations.”
“My shattered leg isn’t a public relations issue, Mr. Sterling. It’s a felony.”
Victoria placed copies of audited invoices on the bedside table. Mason had been routing fraudulent vendor payments to a shell LLC registered under his cousin’s name. A significant portion of the embezzled corporate funds had been deposited directly into Beatrice’s account—the exact same account where my stolen salary was being funneled.
Sterling stared at the paper, turned pale, and left without saying another word.
Two days later, Mason was suspended without pay. An internal audit confirmed massive accounting fraud and the unauthorized use of my electronic signature on corporate documents I had never seen. The man who claimed everything I owned belonged to him had used my identity to hide his own white-collar crimes.
