Chapter 3 - Serena’s Company
Serena’s champagne glass slipped from her hand.
It shattered on the patio.
Nobody looked down.
Daniel Price opened the transactions.
Cole Advisory Group.
Four million dollars.
Luxury procurement.
Two-point-one million.
Event strategy.
Another three.
International brand development.
Cassidy looked at Serena.
“You own Cole Advisory?”
Serena shook her head too quickly.
“It’s a family company.”
“Which family?”
“My uncle.”
Daniel corrected her.
“Beneficial ownership records list you.”
Serena’s face changed.
Brendan stepped between them.
“She had nothing to do with Halcyon finances.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Your authorization code approved six transfers.”
Brendan stared.
“I sign hundreds of things.”
Cassidy closed her eyes briefly.
There it was.
The excuse of careless powerful men everywhere.
I signed it, but I did not read it.
Margaret pointed at Cassidy.
“This is exactly what you wanted.”
Cassidy looked at her.
“What?”
“To embarrass Brendan.”
“You think I asked him to route millions through his girlfriend?”
“He wouldn’t have done that if you had been a proper wife.”
Even Serena stared at Margaret after that.
Cassidy almost laughed.
She was soaking wet.
Bruised from Margaret grabbing her arm before dumping the bucket.
Seven months pregnant.
And somehow Margaret had still found a way to blame her.
Mara Quinn stepped closer.
“Mrs. Holloway, I strongly recommend you stop speaking.”
Margaret snapped.
“This is my house.”
Mara answered.
“Technically it is held by Halcyon Residential Holdings.”
Margaret went silent.
Cassidy turned toward Daniel.
“How deep?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Then lock vendor creation.”
“Already done.”
“Freeze outgoing payments above fifty thousand.”
“Done.”
“Mirror Brendan’s corporate email.”
Mara nodded.
“Legal hold activated.”
Brendan stared.
“You cannot monitor my email.”
Cassidy looked at him.
“It belongs to Halcyon.”
His face reddened.
Then Serena spoke.
“This is insane.”
Cassidy turned.
“Then help us understand.”
Serena looked away.
Daniel continued.
“The vendor payments started fourteen months ago.”
Cassidy thought.
That was before she and Brendan separated.
Before Serena supposedly entered his life.
Cassidy looked at her ex-husband.
“How long have you known her?”
Brendan hesitated.
Too long.
Serena answered.
“Two years.”
Cassidy felt nothing.
That surprised her.
The affair was old news emotionally.
The timeline mattered only because it connected to the theft.
Daniel swiped again.
“There’s more.”
One payment description read.
Project Heir.
Cassidy’s hand moved instinctively to her stomach.
“What is that?”
Daniel looked uneasy.
“We don’t know yet.”
Then Mara’s phone rang.
She answered.
Listened.
Her expression hardened.
“Cassidy.”
“What?”
“The forensic team found a restricted legal folder.”
“Whose?”
“Brendan’s.”
May you like
Mara paused.
“It contains a draft petition concerning guardianship of your unborn child.”
