her father was dead.”
“The man who raised me died,” I said. “My biological father did not.”
Derek swallowed, then forced his mouth into a smirk. “This changes nothing. Family connections don’t erase performance. Mr. Vale knows how much money I’ve saved his company.”
Dad looked at me. “Tell him.”
I opened the leather folder in my hands.
“You approved twelve payments to Northstar Strategic Consulting,” I said. “The company has no employees, no office, and no clients. Its registered owner is Vanessa’s brother.”
Vanessa’s expression hardened. “That’s a lie.”
I laid copies of the invoices on the nearest table. “The signatures are yours, Derek. The transfer authorizations came from your login. Four hundred and eighty-six thousand dollars disappeared over eleven months.”
Whispers moved through the guests. Derek’s best man took a step away from him.
Derek laughed too loudly. “Internal accounting errors.”
“Then explain why Northstar paid this venue yesterday,” I said.
At the rear entrance, the security director stepped forward with a white envelope in his hand.
That night, every safeguard had turned into a door, and every lie had become a key used against him.
Dad’s voice turned cold.
