Chapter 1 - The Auditor's Secret
"Do you know what he did for a living?" Evelyn asked again.
Darius crossed his arms, staring at his mother.
"He was a consultant for a rival firm."
Evelyn shook her head slowly in the morning light.
"Caleb Grant was an independent forensic auditor."
The words hung heavy in the humid Atlanta air.
Darius felt a sudden, sharp tightness in his chest.
"An auditor?" he repeated.
"Nia hired him privately seven years ago."
Darius looked back toward the fruit stand where Nia was wiping down a table.
"Why would my wife hire an auditor without telling me?"
"Because she found discrepancies in Bennett Cold Logistics."
Evelyn stepped closer to her son, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"She found millions of dollars missing from your offshore accounts."
Darius felt the world tilt beneath his feet.
"That is impossible."
"It is the truth, Darius."
Evelyn reached into her designer handbag.
"She was meeting with Caleb that night at the coffee shop to get the final proof."
"Then why didn't she tell me when I confronted her with the photos?" Darius demanded.
"Because the person stealing the money was your best friend and Chief Financial Officer, Marcus."
Darius staggered back, his mind racing through a decade of memories.
"Marcus is like a brother to me."
"Marcus is a parasite," Evelyn corrected sharply.
"He threatened to destroy your company and frame you for corporate fraud if Nia ever spoke a word."
Darius looked at his hands, suddenly feeling sick.
"She took the blame to protect me."
"She let you throw her out because it was the only way to keep you out of federal prison."
Before Darius could process the magnitude of his mistake, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
May you like
He pulled it out and saw a text from an unknown number.
"Your mother talks too much, Darius, and now you both need to pay."
