Chapter 8 - THE SECRET MEETING IN RIVER NORTH
Sienna agreed to meet Evelyn and her attorney at a neutral office in River North.
I wasn't initially invited.
That was fine.
I didn't want to sit across from my husband's mistress and pretend the situation was anything other than painful.
But Sienna asked for me.
Evelyn discussed the risks.
Then arranged a brief meeting with both attorneys present.
When I entered, Sienna stood.
She looked younger without the silver gown and diamonds.
Tired.
Frightened.
"Claire."
I sat opposite her.
"Let's be clear about something."
She nodded.
"You knew Derek was married."
Her eyes filled.
"Yes."
"You knew he had a daughter."
"Yes."
I swallowed.
"Then you knew you were helping him hurt people."
She looked down.
"Yes."
I appreciated that she didn't try to excuse it.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she slid a folder across the table.
Inside were copies of invoices, correspondence, and internal notes relating to Aster Lane.
Evelyn reviewed them.
Sienna explained that she'd been hired to develop a new scholarship application system.
Some work had been completed.
But Derek had instructed her to submit invoices for services that were delayed, incomplete, or assigned to other vendors.
She claimed he'd promised the records would be reconciled later.
Her attorney emphasized that these statements required independent verification.
I listened.
Then asked, "Did you know scholarship money wasn't reaching students?"
Sienna's face crumpled.
"Not at first."
"And later?"
She looked down.
"I suspected."
I felt anger rise.
"Then why didn't you stop?"
She whispered:
"Because I was afraid of losing everything."
I stared at her.
"Those students were losing their futures."
She nodded.
"I know."
Silence.
Then Sienna said something that changed the investigation.
"Derek isn't keeping all the money."
Evelyn looked up.
"What do you mean?"
Sienna swallowed.
"Some of the payments are going to another company."
She pointed to a name in the records.
North Pier Development Partners.
I recognized it.
Derek had mentioned North Pier during a dinner months earlier.
A real-estate venture.
He'd described it as a promising opportunity.
Sienna looked at me.
"He's using foundation money to cover losses from a failed development project."
My stomach dropped.
Evelyn leaned forward.
"Do you have documents supporting that?"
Sienna nodded.
She produced a set of transaction summaries.
The attorneys began reviewing them.
I sat silently.
The affair had humiliated me.
The missing scholarship money had horrified me.
But this was something else.
Derek hadn't merely chosen another woman.
He had apparently used a charity named after my mother to support his failing business venture.
And when the accounts began attracting attention, he'd prepared documents making it look as though I had authorized the transfers.
I looked at Sienna.
"Why did you come forward now?"
Her eyes filled.
"Because at the gala, your daughter looked at him like she didn't recognize him."
I swallowed.
May you like
Sienna continued.
"And I realized I didn't recognize him either."
