Chapter 2 - The Folder in Preston’s Hands
“The folder,” Nolan repeated.
Preston swallowed.
Then he finally handed it over.
Nolan flipped it open right there in the reception hall.
Rosa stood frozen beside Camila, looking like she wanted the marble floor to open up and swallow her whole. Camila leaned against her mother, breathing hard, her brave outburst already catching up with her.
Caleb descended the remaining stairs at an unhurried pace.
“What exactly is going on here?” he asked.
Nolan didn’t answer him.
He found Rosa’s name in the payroll file.
Rosa Martinez.
Senior Housekeeper.
Direct deposit processed.
Three months in a row.
Each line showed the same thing.
Paid.
Nolan’s jaw tightened.
He looked up at Rosa.
“Did you receive any of these deposits?”
“No, sir.”
“Are you certain?”
Rosa gave a short, broken laugh.
“I’m three weeks behind on rent. Camila’s school sent home a late notice for lunch fees. I sold my wedding earrings yesterday to keep our lights on. Yes, sir. I’m certain.”
Silence.
Camila looked up at Nolan with furious little-girl tears in her eyes.
“Mommy stopped buying milk for herself so I could still have cereal.”
Nolan closed the folder.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The kind of careful that scared adults more than shouting ever could.
He turned to Preston.
“Explain.”
Preston licked his lips.
“There may have been a processing issue, sir.”
“A processing issue,” Nolan repeated.
“Yes, sir. I’ve been looking into it.”
Nolan’s voice dropped even lower.
“And somehow you failed to mention that one of my employees was working for free for a quarter of a year?”
Preston said nothing.
Caleb stepped in.
“Nolan, for God’s sake, don’t make a scene in the foyer. If there’s been an administrative delay, we can fix it.”
Camila shook with anger.
“It’s not a delay! I heard you!”
Caleb’s smile was quick and thin.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I think you misunderstood.”
Camila looked at him with open hatred.
“I’m not your sweetheart.”
A muscle ticked in Nolan’s jaw.
He turned back to the folder and noticed something else.
The bank account on file for Rosa’s direct deposit ended in 9134.
He looked at Rosa.
“What are the last four digits of your account?”
Rosa blinked, confused.
“0721.”
Preston’s face changed.
Only slightly.
But Nolan saw it.
He tore the payroll page free and held it up.
“This isn’t her account.”
Caleb went silent.
Rosa looked like she might faint.
Camila clung tighter to her mother.
Nolan snapped the folder shut.
“Rosa, you and Camila are not leaving this house.”
Rosa looked panicked.
“Sir, if this is about what Camila said—”
“It is,” Nolan said. “And that is exactly why you’re staying.”
He looked toward one of the security men stationed near the front doors.
“Bring my office staff into the east study. Lock down payroll access. No one touches a single file without my permission.”
Then he turned to Preston.
“You. In the study. Now.”
Preston stared at him for a second too long.
Then he obeyed.
Caleb didn’t move.
Nolan looked at his brother.
“Are you coming?”
Caleb smiled faintly.
“Of course.”
As they started toward the study, Camila tugged Nolan’s sleeve.
He paused.
She looked up at him, suddenly less angry and more scared.
“Are you gonna fire my mommy?”
Nolan looked at Rosa’s hollow face, at the little girl still trying to protect her, and at the folder that proved someone inside his own house had been stealing.
“No,” he said quietly. “I’m going to find out who thought they could do this to her.”
Then he walked into the study with his brother and estate manager behind him.
And before he even opened the next file, his assistant rushed in with another problem.
May you like
Three more household employees were listed as paid into accounts they didn’t recognize.
👉 Rosa wasn’t the only one whose paycheck had vanished—and Nolan had just learned someone inside his estate had been stealing from multiple employees.
