Chapter 8 - The Account That Wasn't Hers
The account contained eleven million dollars.
That was what Rebecca told us the following morning.
Eleven million.
Moved through multiple transactions.
Several originating from Vale Hospitality subsidiaries.
Others connected to Eastbridge Hospitality Consulting.
I stared at the spreadsheet.
"How does someone move eleven million dollars without anyone noticing?"
Rebecca gave me a tired smile.
"That is exactly why forensic accounting exists."
Eleanor sat across from her.
Her expression was ice.
"Victor."
Rebecca remained careful.
"The records connect the transactions to entities associated with him. We still need to establish authorization and individual responsibility."
Julian looked toward the window.
"My cousin has been doing this for years."
Eleanor's voice became quiet.
"Then we let the evidence speak."
For the first time, I saw where Julian got his strength.
Not from his father's fortune.
Not from his tailored suits.
From the woman who had once built a business with two hotels and a borrowed office.
Eleanor looked at me.
"Megan."
"Yes?"
"You should go home."
I stared.
"What?"
"This is going to become unpleasant."
I almost laughed.
"Mrs. Vale, I lost my job, my electricity, and nearly my apartment because I helped you in the rain."
She flinched.
I immediately regretted how harsh it sounded.
But I continued.
"I'm not saying that to blame you."
She waited.
"I'm saying I want to see this through."
Eleanor studied me.
Then smiled.
"All right."
The investigation accelerated.
Original receipts.
Payroll records.
Bank transfers.
Access logs.
The recovered security footage.
Communications between Frank and Victor.
The documents were examined and passed to appropriate authorities.
Frank was located in Connecticut several days later.
He retained an attorney.
Initially, he denied everything.
Then investigators confronted him with records showing that money had been diverted through accounts he controlled.
He began cooperating.
His account implicated Victor in a broader financial scheme.
Victor denied wrongdoing.
He claimed Frank had acted alone.
But the records became increasingly difficult to explain.
At the same time, Vale Hospitality launched a formal process to correct verified wage underpayments.
My back pay arrived several weeks later.
I sat at the kitchen table staring at the deposit confirmation.
Three thousand two hundred and forty-six dollars.
I read it twice.
Then a third time.
Ava climbed onto the chair beside me.
"Mommy?"
I looked up.
"Yeah?"
"Are we rich?"
I burst out laughing.
"No, baby."
She frowned.
"Then why are you crying?"
I pulled her close.
"Because we can pay the electricity."
She smiled.
"And rent?"
"Yes."
"And shoes?"
My throat tightened.
"Yes."
She threw her arms around me.
"YAY!"
I laughed through tears.
The following Saturday, we went shopping.
Ava chose bright pink sneakers with little silver stars.
She insisted on trying them in front of the mirror.
Then she ran down the aisle.
"Look, Mommy!"
I watched her.
New shoes.
Such a small thing.
Such an enormous thing.
She returned and looked at the price tag.
Then whispered:
"Are they too much?"
My heart broke all over again.
I knelt.
"No, sweetheart."
"Really?"
"Really."
She hugged me.
I bought the shoes.
Then we went for ice cream.
Ava ordered strawberry.
I ordered chocolate.
For the first time in months, I didn't calculate the exact cost before saying yes.
That afternoon, Julian called.
"How are you?"
I smiled.
"Good."
"Really?"
"Really."
He sounded relieved.
"Mother wants to invite you and Ava to dinner."
I hesitated.
"At her house?"
"Yes."
I thought about the hotel.
The bills.
The enormous difference between our lives.
Julian noticed my silence.
"No obligation."
I smiled.
"I know."
Then I said:
"Tell Eleanor we'll come."
Dinner took place on Sunday.
Eleanor's home overlooked the harbor.
It was beautiful.
But not cold.
Family photographs covered the walls.
Books were stacked on tables.
A golden retriever slept beside the fireplace.
Ava fell in love immediately.
"Dog!"
Julian laughed.
"His name is Winston."
Ava knelt.
"Hi, Winston."
The dog rolled onto his back.
Eleanor smiled.
"He's decided he likes her."
Dinner was surprisingly normal.
Roast chicken.
Mashed potatoes.
Green beans.
Ava asked twelve questions about billionaires.
Julian answered every one.
Eleanor laughed so hard she had to wipe her eyes.
Then dessert arrived.
Ava looked at the cake.
"Can I have two pieces?"
I opened my mouth.
Julian said:
"Of course."
Ava grinned.
"Mommy says rich people are weird."
I froze.
Eleanor burst out laughing.
Julian looked at me.
"Does she?"
I covered my face.
Ava continued:
"But you're nice weird."
Julian smiled.
"I'll take it."
After dinner, Ava fell asleep on the couch beside Winston.
Eleanor went to bed.
Julian and I stood on the terrace overlooking the water.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then he said:
"Thank you for coming."
I smiled.
"Thank you for dinner."
He looked toward the living room.
"Mother hasn't laughed like that in years."
I looked at him.
"She's wonderful."
He nodded.
"She is."
Then his expression changed.
"Megan."
"Yeah?"
"I want to ask you something."
My stomach fluttered.
"What?"
"Would you consider coming back to Vale Hospitality?"
I stared.
"To Harbor and Vine?"
"No."
He smiled.
"Somewhere else."
I frowned.
"What kind of job?"
He took a breath.
"We're rebuilding employee relations and payroll oversight after everything that's happened. There's a new training program, with an open application process."
I looked at him.
"Why me?"
"Because you understand what went wrong from the employee side."
I thought about Frank.
The tips.
The fear.
The missing money.
Then I shook my head.
"Not yet."
Julian looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want people thinking I got a promotion for carrying your mother through the rain."
He studied me.
Then nodded.
"Fair."
I smiled.
"Maybe after training."
"I can send you the information."
"That would be good."
For a moment, we simply looked at each other.
Then Julian said quietly:
"Megan, there's something else."
My heart skipped.
"What?"
He looked toward the living room.
Then back at me.
"I'd like to take you to dinner."
I stared.
"We just had dinner."
He smiled.
"Without my mother."
My face grew warm.
"Oh."
He continued.
"Not as your employer. Not because you helped my family. Just dinner."
I looked at him.
Then smiled.
"Maybe."
His expression softened.
"I'll take maybe."
Before either of us could say anything else, Eleanor called from inside.
"Julian!"
He closed his eyes.
I laughed.
"What?"
She appeared in the doorway.
"Victor's been arrested."
The terrace went silent.
Julian stared.
Eleanor continued:
"And Frank has given investigators the original account passwords."
My heart began pounding.
The truth was finally coming out.
But Eleanor wasn't finished.
She looked directly at her son.
"There's something else."
Julian frowned.
"What?"
She took a breath.
"Victor admitted he forged letters between us."
Julian stopped breathing.
"What letters?"
May you like
Eleanor's eyes filled.
"The ones that made you believe I didn't want you in my life."
