Chapter 6
I didn't sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Bianca cutting my wedding dress.
But now the scissors seemed almost insignificant.
She hadn't just wanted to humiliate me.
She and Raymond had been reaching for everything I built.
My foundation.
My reputation.
My future.
And possibly the last meaningful connection I had to my grandmother.
At six in the morning, I called an emergency meeting.
Evelyn arrived with coffee and three folders.
Daniel joined by video.
Marcus sat beside me.
We had postponed the wedding ceremony.
Not canceled it.
I repeated that to myself constantly.
It was the only way I could keep breathing.
Evelyn opened the first folder.
"Good news. The foundation's operating accounts remain untouched."
I exhaled.
"The women we're helping?"
"All services are continuing."
My eyes filled.
"Thank God."
Daniel leaned forward.
"The lender has suspended enforcement of the guarantee while the signatures and authorization are investigated."
Marcus squeezed my hand.
"That's something."
But Daniel wasn't finished.
"Raymond's company also filed preliminary documents claiming an interest in the foundation property."
My stomach tightened.
"Can they take the building?"
"Not simply by filing those documents. We have strong grounds to challenge them."
I looked at Evelyn.
"How did they get our property records?"
She hesitated.
"That brings us to the second folder."
Inside was a list of people who had accessed the foundation's private financial portal.
Most names were familiar.
Accountants.
Board members.
Auditors.
Then I saw one that made my heart stop.
Darlene Whitaker.
I stared at the page.
"No."
Evelyn looked miserable.
"I'm sorry."
Darlene had been my foundation's operations manager for three years.
She attended holiday dinners at my house.
She brought homemade cookies to our volunteers.
She called me her little sister.
I remembered Bianca once praising her.
"That woman knows how to keep everything organized."
At the time, I'd thought nothing of it.
Now I felt physically sick.
"Where is Darlene?"
Evelyn shook her head.
"She called in sick."
I picked up my phone.
I dialed her number.
No answer.
I tried again.
Voicemail.
Then a message arrived.
Nia, I never wanted this to happen.
I stared at the screen.
Marcus leaned closer.
"What does that mean?"
Another message appeared.
Bianca said nobody would lose anything. She said it was temporary.
I felt tears burn my eyes.
"Darlene."
I typed quickly.
Where are you?
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Then returned.
At home. I'm scared.
I called Detective Foster.
She advised me not to confront Darlene alone.
Within an hour, detectives arranged to interview her.
Marcus and I remained at the hotel.
I hated waiting.
Every minute felt unbearable.
Finally, Detective Foster called.
"Darlene is cooperating."
I closed my eyes.
"Did she give them access?"
"Yes."
The word hurt more than I expected.
"Why?"
"She says Bianca offered to pay off her son's medical debt."
I covered my mouth.
Darlene's youngest son had been seriously ill the previous year.
I had visited him in the hospital.
I had held Darlene while she cried.
Bianca had found the most painful part of her life and used it.
"Did Bianca pay her?"
"Not the full amount. Darlene says she received twelve thousand dollars."
I felt sick.
"Twelve thousand dollars?"
"She provided passwords, financial summaries, and access to archived board documents."
Marcus shook his head.
"Bianca knew exactly what she was doing."
Detective Foster continued.
"Darlene also gave us something important."
"What?"
"Copies of messages from Bianca."
I held my breath.
"She repeatedly instructed Darlene to hide the access from you."
I looked at Marcus.
He stared at the floor.
His sister had built an entire scheme around secrets.
And she'd counted on his loyalty to protect her.
At noon, we received another development.
Police had located Bianca at Vanessa Bellamy's estate.
When detectives arrived, Vanessa's attorney met them at the gate.
Bianca refused to speak without counsel.
I wasn't surprised.
But then Daniel called.
His voice sounded unusually tense.
"Nia, Bellamy Couture has just filed a lawsuit."
My heart dropped.
"Against whom?"
"Against you."
I stared at the phone.
"For what?"
"Trade secret misappropriation and defamation."
The room went silent.
Marcus whispered a curse.
I couldn't believe it.
After everything Vanessa had done, she was attacking me again.
"What does she want?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Damages and an order preventing you from using certain designs."
I looked at the wooden box beside me.
Grandma Ruth's sketches were inside.
I understood immediately.
"She's trying to silence me."
"That's my assessment."
I stood.
"Then we fight."
Daniel nodded.
"We will."
I turned to Marcus.
He rose with me.
"I'm not letting her do this again."
That afternoon, we held an emergency board meeting.
Every trustee attended.
I disclosed the attempted fraud.
I explained Darlene's involvement.
I announced an independent forensic audit.
Then I made a decision.
I would temporarily step away from authorizing major financial transactions while the investigation continued.
Not because I'd done anything wrong.
Because the foundation needed strong safeguards.
Evelyn would oversee operations with independent board supervision.
I expected disappointment.
Instead, our oldest trustee, Mr. Charles Bennett, stood.
"Nia, you built this organization from nothing."
His voice trembled.
"We've watched you work nights, weekends, and holidays."
Other trustees nodded.
"We're not abandoning you."
I started crying.
For days, I'd been surrounded by betrayal.
Now I was reminded that loyalty still existed.
After the meeting, Marcus took me to the foundation's main building.
The lobby was quiet.
A photograph of Grandma Ruth hung beside the entrance.
Underneath it were the words:
Every woman deserves a new beginning.
I stood in front of the photograph.
"I'm going to protect this place," I whispered.
Marcus wrapped his arm around me.
"We will."
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
But something made me answer.
A woman's voice spoke.
"Nia Johnson?"
"Yes."
"My name is Tasha Reed. I used to work for Vanessa Bellamy."
I straightened.
"What do you want?"
Her next words made me grip the phone.
"I helped her destroy your career six years ago."
I couldn't speak.
May you like
Tasha began crying.
"And I have the evidence to prove it."
