Chapter 4 - The Audit Begins
The massive mahogany conference table reflected the sleek, minimalist lighting of the 68寧 floor boardroom. Twenty-two seats, all currently occupied by senior executives, regional directors, and board members.
When I walked in, followed closely by Arthur Vance and a pale, trembling Alexander, every conversation died instantly.
For six years, I had operated behind the scenes—reviving failing plants, auditing corrupted supply chains, and restructuring debt across the country. Most of these executives knew my name only from quarterly financial reports signed E. Montalvo. They had assumed I was just a remote consultant. They had no idea I was the majority stakeholder's daughter and the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer.
I took the central seat at the head of the table.
Alexander hovered awkwardly near the door, while Camila—who had somehow followed us down the hall—stood trembling in the doorway, realizing her entire world was collapsing in real time.
"Please, take your seats," I said, my voice carrying effortlessly across the silent room.
I opened my unbranded leather handbag and pulled out a single, encrypted flash drive, placing it gently on the center of the table.
"Before we discuss the regional expansion metrics," I began, resting my hands flat on the wood, "we need to address an internal audit report compiled by my compliance team over the last forty-eight hours."
Alexander took a sharp, audible breath. "Evelyn... don't."
I ignored him, looking directly at Arthur Vance. "Arthur, please pull up file designation Omega-Seven on the central display."
Arthur nodded grimly, tapping a few keys on his console. Instantly, the massive floor-to-ceiling screen behind me lit up.
Bold financial spreadsheets filled the display, detailing unauthorized corporate expenditures, luxury retail purchases disguised as client entertainment, and offshore wire transfers funneled directly into shell accounts registered under Camila Reyes's name—backed by executive sign-offs bearing Alexander’s forged or unauthorized digital stamp.
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A collective gasp rippled through the boardroom. Several regional directors shifted uncomfortably in their seats, staring up at the screen in disbelief.
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