Chapter 5 - THE MISSING FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND
The money had not simply disappeared.
It had been redirected.
Lauren's forensic accountant discovered that Crowe Hospitality had approved the payment weeks earlier.
The funds were transferred from a designated event account.
But they never reached C.W. Atelier.
Instead, they passed through a consulting company called Northbridge Advisory.
Claire stared at the report.
“Who owns Northbridge?”
The accountant hesitated.
“That's the interesting part.”
He turned the laptop.
A familiar name appeared.
Madeline Voss.
Claire felt her stomach drop.
Madeline.
Ethan's new fiancée.
The woman who'd stood beside him while he slapped Claire.
The woman who'd accused her of chasing money.
Claire looked at Lauren.
“Madeline took the payment?”
“We have evidence the funds reached a company she controls. We still need to establish who authorized the transfer and why.”
Claire stared at the screen.
Then laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Lauren studied her.
“What?”
Claire looked up.
“Ethan spent four years telling me I cared too much about money.”
May you like
She shook her head.
“And the woman he replaced me with was stealing mine.”
