Chapter 6 - The Sabotage
By that evening, the cracks were wide enough to drive a wedge through. I began the final phase of my plan: the redirection.
Using my old access codes—which I had never actually lost, only hidden—I gained entry to the primary corporate clearing account. While Derek was preoccupied with convincing the investors that the "audit flag" was merely a technical glitch, I was busy behind the scenes.
I didn't steal the money. That would be a crime. Instead, I rerouted it into a series of escrow accounts that were legally tied to the original construction firm's charter—the one my father had written. These accounts required a dual-signature for withdrawal: one from the CEO, and one from the Board of Directors, which, according to the original bylaws, I was still the acting Chair of.
As I sat in the dim light of the library, watching the millions move from Marlene’s illicit slush funds back into the company’s structural integrity fund, I felt a weight lifting off my chest. Every transfer was a strike against them.
Then, Derek walked in. He didn't knock. He looked wild, his tie hanging loose around his neck.
"The bank called," he said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "They’re asking about the escrow movement. They’re asking why the Chairwoman’s digital signature was activated."
I looked up from the screen, closing the laptop with a calm, deliberate click. "I guess I finally remembered how to do my job, Derek. It’s funny how trauma works. Sometimes, the memory just comes back."
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He lunged for me, but I didn't flinch. I reached into my cardigan and pulled out my phone, holding it up so he could see the screen. It was a live feed of his office, synced to the cloud. I had already sent the trigger to Elena Ruiz.
"If you touch me, Derek, the feed goes to the police. And the files... they’re already at the District Attorney's office. The question is: are you going to stop, or do you want to be in handcuffs by dinner?"
