Chapter 16 - TWENTY-FOUR HOURS
Adrian had twenty-four hours.
Richard gave him one task.
“Find the financial leak inside Sterling Holdings.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You already know who did it.”
“I know who started it.”
“Victor.”
“Yes.”
“Then why don't you fire him?”
“Because I want evidence.”
Adrian understood.
This was no longer about inheritance.
It was about responsibility.
He began investigating.
For hours, he reviewed records.
Invoices.
Contracts.
Bank transfers.
Emails.
At first, he found nothing.
Then he noticed something.
A series of payments went through a subsidiary company.
The company had been approved years earlier.
The signature belonged to an executive.
But the authorization code belonged to Adrian.
His heart stopped.
Someone had used his identity.
He checked the dates.
Every transaction occurred while Adrian was traveling.
He hadn't authorized any of them.
Victor had.
But Victor had made it appear that Adrian was responsible.
Adrian realized why.
If the fraud were discovered, Adrian would become the obvious scapegoat.
He gathered the evidence.
Then he found something worse.
Victor had been preparing to transfer control of several Sterling assets.
The final authorization was scheduled for the next morning.
Adrian called Richard.
“I found it.”
Richard answered calmly.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“In the office.”
“Don't leave.”
Ten minutes later, Richard arrived.
Adrian handed him the evidence.
Richard studied it.
Then smiled.
Not proudly.
Relieved.
“You did it.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Richard looked at him.
“We did.”
For the first time, Richard saw something different in his son.
Not entitlement.
Not arrogance.
May you like
Responsibility.
But Victor still had no idea they had discovered the truth.
