A Female CEO Made a Single Dad Pick Up Her VIP Guest—and Then the VIP Asked, “Why Isn’t He the One Running Your Company?”
Chapter 6
Ethan reached Lily’s school in fourteen minutes.
Police were already there.
A stranger had attempted to sign her out using forged identification.
Luckily, the school secretary noticed the paperwork didn’t match.
Lily was safe.
But Ethan’s hands didn’t stop shaking until he saw her.
He hugged her tightly.
“I’ve got you.”
“Dad?”
“It’s okay.”
“Who was that man?”
Ethan looked at the police.
“We don’t know yet.”
Lily held his hand.
“Are we going home?”
“Yes.”
At home, Ethan packed a bag.
He considered taking Lily out of town.
Then Victoria arrived.
She came alone.
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You didn’t do this.”
“My company brought this into your life.”
“No.”
He lowered his voice.
“Your uncle did.”
Victoria nodded.
“I believe so.”
She handed him a folder.
“Then read this.”
Inside were private financial records.
Payments.
Transfers.
Offshore accounts.
Names.
Richard’s name appeared repeatedly.
Ethan looked up.
“How long have you known?”
“I suspected.”
“This is more than suspicion.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
Ethan stared.
“Of him?”
“Of losing everything.”
He understood.
“That’s why your company is failing.”
Victoria nodded.
“Not financially.”
She looked at him.
“Morally.”
The word hung between them.
Then she said:
“My father taught me that a CEO isn’t the person with the most power.”
“What is a CEO?”
“The person willing to take responsibility for everyone else’s mistakes.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Then start.”
Victoria nodded.
“I will.”
The next day, Charles called a board meeting.
Every board member attended.
Victoria entered first.
Ethan followed.
Then Charles.
The room became tense.
Victoria stood.
“I have discovered evidence of financial misconduct involving one of our senior board members.”
Richard immediately stood.
“This is absurd.”
Victoria remained calm.
“The evidence is not.”
She presented the records.
Richard denied everything.
Then Charles spoke.
“I hired an independent forensic team.”
The room fell silent.
“Their findings confirm the transactions.”
Richard looked at Victoria.
“You would destroy your own family?”
Victoria answered:
“No.”
She looked him in the eye.
“You destroyed it yourself.”
Security escorted Richard out.
But the damage wasn’t finished.
The forensic investigation revealed that Richard had been diverting company funds for six years.
He had also manipulated vendor contracts.
Paid consultants.
And secretly attempted to gain majority control.
Then investigators found something worse.
Richard had been collecting personal information on key employees.
Including Ethan.
Including Lily.
His goal had been intimidation.
Charles looked at Ethan.
“He’ll be charged.”
Ethan nodded.
But he still felt uneasy.
Richard had threatened his daughter because Ethan had uncovered the money trail.
What if someone else was involved?
Charles seemed to read his mind.
“There is more.”
He handed Ethan a file.
One supplier was owned by an unknown holding company.
The company was connected to a former Sterling executive who had disappeared five years earlier.
Ethan recognized the name.
Daniel Mercer.
He had once been Victoria’s father’s chief strategist.
Five years ago, he resigned suddenly.
No explanation.
No farewell.
Just gone.
Victoria looked at the file.
“I thought Daniel left voluntarily.”
Charles shook his head.
“He didn’t.”
“Then where did he go?”
“We don’t know.”
Ethan looked at the records.
Daniel had been receiving payments from Richard.
Then the payments stopped.
Then they resumed six months ago.
“Why now?”
Charles answered.
“Because Richard wasn’t working alone.”
Victoria turned toward Ethan.
“What did Daniel know?”
Ethan pointed to one transfer.
“He knew about the company restructuring.”
“And?”
“He knew about the hidden ownership plan.”
Victoria stared.
“Richard wanted control.”
“Yes.”
“Of Sterling.”
“And something else.”
Ethan turned the page.
A list of companies appeared.
One of them was connected to a major technology acquisition.
A company worth nearly $600 million.
Victoria frowned.
“This acquisition was canceled.”
“No,” Ethan said.
“It was delayed.”
He looked at Charles.
“And if I’m right, someone wants Sterling weak enough to buy it cheap.”
Charles smiled grimly.
“Now you understand why I invested.”
Ethan stared.
“You were never just investing in Sterling.”
Charles nodded.
“I was looking for the person who could see all of this.”
He looked at Ethan.
“And now I have.”
