Chapter 13 - THE NAME ON THE INVOICE
The next morning, Victoria gave investigators a name: Martin Vale, Hawthorne Technologies’ chief financial officer.
Richard had worked with Martin for eleven years.
“Victoria says he approved the payment and helped Adrian obtain internal information,” Ortiz said. “We’re checking her claim.”
Richard wanted to confront him. Ortiz asked him to wait.
Priya quietly preserved the relevant company records. By afternoon, auditors had found several contracts routed through firms connected to Adrian. Each was small enough to avoid extra review. Together they amounted to millions.
Martin had treated Richard’s absence from day-to-day financial details as an opportunity.
That evening, Martin called Richard.
“I hear Victoria’s telling stories,” he said.
“Are they true?”
A pause. “You know how deals work. I can explain the invoices.”
“Then explain them to the investigators.”
Martin hung up.
Ortiz later told Richard that Martin had agreed to come in with counsel. Victoria’s statement had opened a larger financial investigation, but it had not erased her own actions. She had sent the school forms, planted the watch, and locked the boys in the playroom. The recordings made her role clear.
The next day, Emily finally returned to the mansion to collect the rest of her belongings. Richard asked if she wanted him there. She said yes, and Priya came too.
In her small room above the kitchen, Emily folded her sweaters into a box. On the bedside table sat a photograph of the triplets wearing paper crowns on their fourth birthday.
Richard picked it up. “I missed that party.”
“You were in New York.”
“I remember sending a gift.”
“Liam opened it. Then he asked when you were coming home.”
Richard set the photo down carefully.
Emily closed the box. “They didn’t need more toys, Richard.”
“I know.”
From the hall came three quick footsteps. The boys had been with Mrs. Alvarez in the garden, but they had spotted Emily’s suitcase.
Noah stopped in the doorway. “Are you leaving?”
“I’m taking my things,” she said.
His face crumpled. “Because of Dad?”
Richard crouched beside him. “Emily gets to decide where she wants to live. I made a terrible mistake. She doesn’t owe me a way to fix it.”
Emily looked at him. It was the first thing he had said about her leaving that felt fair.
Liam took her hand. “Will you still see us?”
“I want to,” she said. “We’ll figure out how.”
May you like
Before Richard could answer, Priya appeared with her phone.
“It’s the school,” she said. “Someone called them this morning and tried to pick up the boys.”
