CHAPTER 3 — THE TRAITOR INSIDE THE STERLING FAMILY
CHAPTER 3 — THE TRAITOR INSIDE THE STERLING FAMILY
"No..."
Phoebe whispered.
The attorney's name echoed through her mind.
Michael Reeves.
He had worked for the Sterling family for nearly twenty years.
He had attended birthdays.
Christmas dinners.
Funerals.
Her father's retirement.
Her mother's memorial.
He knew every signature.
Every account.
Every family secret.
He also knew exactly how to imitate her handwriting.
Spencer noticed Phoebe's expression.
"You know him?"
She didn't answer.
Instead...
She picked up the photograph.
Michael wasn't smiling.
Neither was Collins.
But Vanessa was.
She looked...
Victorious.
Phoebe slowly handed the picture to the investigators.
"I want him located immediately."
One investigator nodded.
"We already tried."
"What do you mean?"
"He disappeared six hours ago."
The ballroom erupted again.
A director grabbed his phone.
"No signal?"
Another executive checked his tablet.
"The corporate servers are offline!"
Someone shouted,
"The accounting database is deleting itself!"
The head of IT sprinted into the room.
"We're under a remote wipe attack!"
Spencer felt the blood drain from his face.
"No..."
His phone suddenly vibrated.
One message.
Unknown number.
You're looking at the wrong thief.
Another message arrived.
The person who forged the signature wasn't working for Spencer.
Phoebe's heartbeat quickened.
Then the final message appeared.
Look under Chair Number Seven before anyone leaves.
Without hesitation...
Phoebe walked toward the board table.
Every eye followed her.
She knelt.
Reached underneath the chair.
Her fingers touched...
A hidden flash drive.
Just as she pulled it free—
The ballroom lights went completely black.
Someone screamed.
May you like
And a single gunshot echoed through the darkness.
To be continued...
