“No,” I said. “The dress was only the moment I stopped pretending.”

Then my attorney, Helen Brooks, called.

“We found the transfers,” she said.

I looked through the camera at Daniel.

He was already staring up at me.

He knew.

“Send everything to the board,” I said.

Helen paused. “All of it?”

“All of it.”

Daniel stepped closer to the door, his voice shaking now.

“Rachel, whatever you think you found, I can explain.”

I ended the call and pressed the speaker again.

“I’m sure you can,” I said. “But today, you’ll explain it to lawyers.”

Part 3

The emergency board meeting began at three.

Daniel arrived with Patricia beside him, as if his mother could still intimidate adults in suits. She wore sunglasses indoors and clutched a designer bag I now knew had been purchased with my corporate card.

Security escorted them into the legal conference room.

Not my office.

Not the executive floor.

A windowless room with recording equipment and no coffee.

When I entered, Patricia stood.

“How dare you treat my son like a criminal?”

I placed the torn dress on the table between us.

“How dare you destroy my property while spending stolen money?”

Her face twitched.

Daniel sat rigidly. “Rachel, we should talk privately.”

READ MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE…