Chapter 7 - The Monday Morning Audit
Two days later, the reality of Trent’s reckless arrogance arrived at his office in the form of a certified corporate courier.
Trent was sitting at his desk at Vance Maritime Logistics, nursing a cup of burnt breakroom coffee and staring at his computer screen.
His phone had been quiet all morning; none of the senior vice presidents had stopped by to chat about the regional director vacancy.
At ten-fifteen, the heavy frosted-glass door of his office opened without a knock.
David Sterling, the firm’s chief internal auditor, walked in carrying a thick black leather binder under his arm.
Behind him stood two corporate security officers in gray blazers, their faces completely expressionless.
"Trent Albright?" Sterling asked, setting the heavy binder onto the center of Trent’s desk.
Trent jumped to his feet, knocking his pen stand across the blotter.
"Mr. Sterling! Good morning, sir. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"This isn't a social call, Albright," Sterling replied coldly, pulling a pair of reading glasses from his breast pocket.
"Over the weekend, an automated flag was triggered during the executive background review for the regional director candidacy."
"We initiated a routine compliance sweep of your discretionary expense accounts spanning the last twenty-four months."
Trent felt a cold spike of panic shoot straight through his chest, making his breathing shallow and rapid.
"My expenses? Sir, every single receipt has been properly logged and categorized through the departmental portal!"
"Is that so?" Sterling asked, opening the binder to reveal a series of scanned restaurant bills, luxury hotel folios, and airline stubs.
"Then perhaps you can explain why forty-two thousand dollars in corporate entertainment funds were billed for weekend trips to New Orleans and Destin?"
Sterling pointed to the authorization lines, each bearing Trent’s digital signature.
"None of these trips coincided with maritime client meetings. Every reservation was booked under the names Trent Albright and Corinne Finch."
Trent’s knees buckled, and he collapsed heavily back into his leather office chair, staring at the receipts in horror.
He had assumed that because he was being groomed for the regional directorship, nobody would ever scrutinize his travel vouchers.
He had used the company credit card to fund Corinne’s lavish lifestyle, believing he was untouchable within the corporate hierarchy.
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"Mr. Vance personally signed the authorization for this forensic audit yesterday morning," Sterling added, delivering the crushing final blow.
"Pack your personal belongings, Albright. Your employment with Vance Maritime Logistics is terminated effective immediately."
