Chapter 4 - Following the Bloodline
They spent the night tearing through Bastion Arc’s internal financial records.
Elise was relentless, a predator back in her natural habitat, slicing through layers of corporate jargon and buried expense reports.
Graham ordered food, poured coffee, and watched in awe as the woman who had poured his wine hours earlier dismantled his company’s entire financial structure.
By 4:00 AM, Elise stopped typing.
“Found it,” she whispered, her voice rough with exhaustion.
Graham was out of his chair and standing behind her in a second, his chest brushing her shoulder.
“Look at this consulting fee paid out to a firm in Geneva,” Elise pointed to the screen.
“It was authorized by your Chief Financial Officer, Richard Vance. The money bounced through three shell companies and landed in the account that paid for your date’s fake lifestyle.”
Graham’s jaw tightened.
Richard Vance had been his mentor, the man who helped him build Bastion Arc from a garage startup to a global powerhouse.
May you like
“He’s selling me out to Vanguard,” Graham said, the betrayal heavy in his voice.
“He’s not just selling you out,” Elise corrected softly. “He’s ensuring the company goes bankrupt so Vanguard can buy your proprietary code for pennies.”
