Chapter 10 - THE BOARD FOUND THE MISSING MONEY
The audit began with revenue adjustments.
It ended with missing cash.
Thirty-two million dollars.
Then forty-eight.
Then seventy-one.
Money had moved through marketing partnerships and renovation contracts.
Some payments were legitimate.
Others went to shell companies.
One shell company paid Camila’s apartment.
Another bought a yacht Julian claimed belonged to “brand partners.”
A third acquired land beside the Cabo resort.
Land held personally by Julian.
Elena stared at the map.
“He used Aurelia projects to increase his own property value.”
Miriam nodded.
The scheme resembled self-dealing.
Potential fraud.
Board members who had defended Julian began turning.
Then came the midpoint discovery.
The missing money was not only feeding Julian.
Someone else received millions.
Isabella Rossi.
Julian’s mother.
Renovation consulting.
Hospitality heritage fees.
Private advisory retainers.
More than nine million dollars over six years.
Isabella had never disclosed them to the Marlowe trustees.
Elena understood her sudden desire to settle.
If the audit deepened, she was exposed too.
Julian’s brother Marco received payments as well.
So did two cousins.
Julian had turned Aurelia into a family distribution system.
All while telling Elena her own family had no right to interfere.
The board voted again.
This time, Julian was terminated for cause.
His company car.
Private aircraft access.
Corporate residences.
Security team.
Expense accounts.
All revoked.
The penthouse lease rights reverted to the property owner.
Marlowe Coastal Holdings.
Elena.
Camila had already left.
Julian’s belongings were packed by staff and sent to a storage facility.
He arrived at the resort furious.
His keycard failed.
Exactly as Thomas predicted.
Julian demanded the general manager come downstairs.
She did.
“Mr. Rossi.”
“Open the penthouse.”
“I cannot.”
“I built this place.”
“The property owner revoked residential authorization.”
“Who?”
The manager hesitated.
Then decided truth was safer.
“Elena.”
Julian looked around the lobby.
The same employees who lowered their eyes when Elena was thrown out were now watching him.
He saw fear in some faces.
Satisfaction in others.
Mostly silence.
Then he looked toward the entrance.
Rain had stopped.
The spot where Elena stood hours earlier was dry.
Julian finally understood the cruelty of what he had said.
This is my resort.
You don’t belong here anymore.
May you like
Now he was the one without access.
And Elena still had not entered the building again.
