Chapter 5: The Friend Who Counted My Money
The name was already forming in my mind before Marcus said it.
I didn’t want him to say it.
I didn’t need him to say it.
Because there was only one person in Sterling Nova who knew every detail of my finances.
Every investment.
Every account.
Every weakness.
Someone who had sat beside me when the company was nothing but a dream written on a whiteboard.
Someone who had celebrated my first contract like it was her own victory.
Someone who had cried with me when we lost our first major investor.
Someone I trusted more than almost anyone in the world.
“Olivia.””
The name left my mouth like a confession.
Marcus didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
His silence confirmed it.
I stared at him.
“No.””
My voice was barely audible.
“No, Olivia would never.””
My father watched me carefully.
“Claire.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“She’s my friend.””
Marcus looked down.
“That’s what makes this difficult.””
I felt anger rise inside me.
Not because of what he said.
Because a part of me believed him.
And I hated that.
Olivia had been there before Daniel.
Before Sterling Nova became successful.
Before people knew my name.
She was the person who helped me move into my first office.
The person who brought coffee when I worked through the night.
The person who told me:
“Claire, one day everyone is going to know what you built.””
I remembered those words.
Now they sounded different.
Like a knife with a familiar handle.
“How do you know?”” I asked.
Marcus looked at me.
“Because I found the transfers.””
My heart sank.
“What transfers?””
“Money moved through several accounts connected to Sterling Nova.””
“Olivia?””
He nodded.
“Indirectly.””
I frowned.
“Indirectly?””
“She was careful.””
That was worse.
Careful meant planned.
Careful meant intentional.
“Explain.””
Marcus looked toward the hotel.
The wedding guests were slowly leaving.
The beautiful evening I had imagined was disappearing piece by piece.
“We need somewhere private.””
I almost laughed.
But this time, I was too tired.
“Fine.””
We moved to a small conference room near the ballroom.
The same hotel.
The same night.
The same building where I was supposed to begin my marriage.
Instead, I sat across from two people who knew pieces of my life I had never been told.
My father sat beside me.
Marcus placed a laptop on the table.
He opened a file.
“Six months ago, I noticed irregular transfers from the company’s investment accounts.””
I stared at the screen.
Numbers appeared.
Dates.
Amounts.
Companies I didn’t recognize.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“Because every transfer was approved through proper channels.””
I narrowed my eyes.
“Meaning?””
“Meaning someone with authorization was making them look legitimate.””
I looked at the documents.
“And that person was Olivia?””
Marcus nodded.
“She had access.””
“She was the CFO.””
“Yes.””
I leaned back.
The room felt smaller.
“So she stole from me?””
Marcus didn’t answer immediately.
That bothered me.
“Marcus.””
“She didn’t take money directly.””
“Then what did she do?””
He turned the laptop.
A document appeared.
My eyes moved across the page.
It was an investment agreement.
A partnership.
Between Sterling Nova and a private technology firm.
I read the company name.
Whitmore Capital Group.
My hands went cold.
“No.””
My father looked at me.
“You recognize it?””
“Daniel’s family.””
Marcus nodded.
“Exactly.””
I stared at the document.
“When was this signed?””
“Eight months ago.””
Eight months.
I remembered.
Eight months ago, Daniel had started talking about marriage.
Eight months ago, he became more interested in my company’s future plans.
Eight months ago, he told me:
“Claire, I want us to build something together.””
I thought he meant our life.
Not my company.
Not my future.
Not my legacy.
I closed my eyes.
“Did Olivia know about Daniel?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“She knew before you introduced him to the company.””
I felt something crack inside me.
Not surprise.
Something worse.
Disappointment.
“How?””
Marcus looked at my father.
My father answered.
“Because she was approached.””
“By who?””
“Edward Whitmore.””
I stared at him.
“Why would Olivia listen to him?””
Nobody answered.
That silence made me angry.
“Why?””
Marcus finally spoke.
“Because Edward knew something about her.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“We don’t know.””
“That’s not good enough.””
“I know.””
His voice was quiet.
“But Olivia covered her tracks.””
I looked away.
My best friend.
The person I trusted.
The person I defended whenever someone questioned her decisions.
I remembered the countless times Daniel complained about Olivia.
“She’s too controlling.””
“She thinks she runs everything.””
“She acts like she owns the company.””
At the time, I defended her.
I told him:
“She cares.””
Now I wondered.
Maybe she did.
Just not about me.
My phone buzzed.
Another message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
A video file.
My stomach tightened.
I pressed play.
The screen showed a dark office.
Security footage.
At first, I couldn’t tell where it was.
Then I saw the company logo on the wall.
Sterling Nova.
The timestamp appeared.
Three weeks earlier.
A woman entered the office.
Olivia.
She looked around carefully.
Then another person entered.
Daniel.
My breath caught.
The video had no sound.
But I could see enough.
Daniel handed Olivia something.
A folder.
She handed him something back.
A flash drive.
They talked.
Then they hugged.
Not a friendly hug.
Not a casual one.
A hug between two people who believed they had succeeded.
The video ended.
I stared at the black screen.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I whispered:
“She betrayed me.””
My father looked at me.
“I’m sorry.””
I laughed quietly.
“I keep hearing that.””
My voice shook.
“I’m tired of people being sorry after they destroy things.””
Marcus looked down.
Then he said something unexpected.
“There’s one more thing.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He hesitated.
“The reason Olivia could do this is because she knew something about your company that almost nobody else knew.””
“What?””
He opened another file.
A copy of an old document.
Older than Sterling Nova.
Older than my involvement.
It had my mother’s name on it.
My breath stopped.
“What is that?””
Marcus looked at me.
“The original ownership agreement.””
I stared.
“Original?””
“Yes.””
“But I founded Sterling Nova.””
Marcus nodded.
“You did.””
“Then why does my mother’s name appear?””
He leaned forward.
“Because your mother built the foundation.””
I looked at the document.
My mother’s signature.
My father’s signature.
Another signature.
Someone else.
I pointed.
“Who is that?””
Marcus became quiet.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t have to find out this way.””
My eyes moved to the name.
A name I had never seen before.
A name that made no sense.
Because the person who signed the original agreement was supposed to be dead.
“Who is Robert Vale?””
My father’s face changed.
And that scared me more than anything else.
Because my father had faced anger.
Accusations.
Loss.
But that name?
That name terrified him.
“Claire,” he said slowly.
“Your mother trusted Robert Vale.””
“Who is he?””
My father looked at Marcus.
Then back at me.
“He was the person who helped your mother create the company.””
I waited.
But he wasn’t finished.
“And he was the man who tried to take it from her.””
The room went silent.
I looked at the document again.
“So my mother had enemies before I ever started this company.””
“Yes.””
“And Daniel’s family is connected.””
“Yes.””
“And Olivia was working with them.””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
I stood.
My chair scraped against the floor.
“I need to talk to Olivia.””
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“No.””
The answer was too fast.
“Why?””
“Because if she knows we found out, she’ll disappear.””
“She’s my friend.””
“Claire.””
“No.””
I looked at him.
“I need to hear her say it.””
My father stood too.
“Sometimes people don’t tell the truth when confronted.””
“Then I’ll know.””
I picked up my purse.
“I need to know whether I lost my friend or whether I never had one.””
Marcus watched me.
“Claire, be careful.””
I stopped.
That warning again.
But this time, it sounded different.
Not like control.
Like fear.
I turned.
“What are you afraid will happen?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
That bothered me.
“What are you not telling me?””
His face became serious.
“Olivia isn’t the only person who had access to the company.””
I waited.
“There was someone else.””
“Who?””
Marcus looked at the document on the table.
At my mother’s old signature.
At the name Robert Vale.
Then he said:
“Someone who has been waiting for Sterling Nova to become valuable enough to take.””
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time, it wasn’t from an unknown number.
It was from Olivia.
One sentence.
May you like
And it made my blood run cold.
*Claire, I know you found out. Meet me alone tonight if you want the truth about why Daniel chose you.*
