Chapter 4 - FOUR POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS
Ryan stared at the document.
“It isn’t what it looks like.”
Charlotte almost smiled.
Every unfaithful spouse in history seemed to know that sentence.
Jonathan Harrison spoke.
“Then explain it.”
Ryan looked around the table.
“Monroe Strategic Events provided consulting.”
Marcus Chen opened another file.
“We requested deliverables.”
Ryan shifted in his chair.
“They worked directly with me.”
“What did they deliver?”
“Market positioning.”
“Where is the report?”
Ryan hesitated.
“Research.”
“Where?”
“I would need to check.”
Marcus closed the folder.
“We already checked.”
Ryan looked toward Charlotte.
“This is retaliation.”
“For what?”
“You found out about Sabrina.”
Charlotte shook her head.
“I found out you were sleeping with Sabrina.”
“Internal Audit found the money.”
Ryan pushed his chair back.
“I want my attorney.”
Jonathan nodded.
“You should have one.”
Ryan froze.
The seriousness of those words finally reached him.
Charlotte slid another page forward.
“My signature appears here.”
Ryan looked at it.
“I didn’t sign that.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you showing me?”
“Because neither did I.”
Ryan’s face drained completely.
Jonathan spoke.
“The document authorized a three-million-dollar extension of the Monroe Strategic contract.”
Ryan shook his head.
“I never saw this.”
Marcus turned his laptop around.
“The authorization originated from your executive account.”
“That doesn’t mean I created it.”
“No.”
Marcus nodded.
“But your credentials were used.”
Ryan stood.
“Someone set me up.”
Charlotte looked at him.
“Sit down.”
Something in her voice made him obey.
For the first time in their marriage, Ryan looked frightened of her.
Charlotte hated that.
She had never wanted fear.
She had wanted respect.
He had offered neither until he discovered her net worth.
“Effective immediately, you are suspended from Bennett Global.”
Ryan stared.
“You can’t fire me.”
“I didn’t.”
Charlotte nodded toward Jonathan.
“The board suspended you pending investigation.”
Ryan looked around.
Nobody defended him.
He slowly sat back.
Then the boardroom door opened.
Everyone turned.
Sabrina stood there.
She was fully dressed now.
Crimson gown replaced by a white designer suit.
Her face was controlled.
But her eyes were not.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Charlotte watched her.
Sabrina looked directly at Ryan.
Then at the documents.
Then at Charlotte.
“I think,” Sabrina said quietly, “you need to hear my side before you destroy the wrong person.”
Charlotte leaned back.
“For someone who dropped ten dollars at my feet twelve hours ago…”
She paused.
“…you certainly found your manners quickly.”
Sabrina’s jaw tightened.
May you like
Then she said something nobody expected.
“Ryan isn’t the person who started stealing from you.”
