Chapter 6 - The Favor Rosa Refused
Caleb shut the door behind him and glared at Preston as if he wanted to kill him with his eyes.
“You’re done talking,” Caleb snapped.
Nolan didn’t even look at him.
He kept his eyes on Preston.
“What favor?”
Preston’s mouth opened.
Closed.
He looked between the two brothers like a man trying to decide which one he feared more.
Caleb stepped forward.
“This is ridiculous, Nolan. Harrison skimmed money, got caught, and now he’s trying to drag me down with him.”
Preston’s head jerked toward him.
“That’s not what happened.”
Caleb’s voice turned icy.
“Be quiet.”
Nolan finally looked at his brother.
“No. You be quiet.”
The room went still.
Caleb laughed once, without humor.
“You’re really choosing a housekeeper’s word over mine?”
Nolan answered without hesitation.
“I’m choosing evidence over yours.”
He held up a printed transfer sheet.
“Your approval code is on this account.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened.
“You know how many estate approvals I sign in a month? Dozens. Harrison could have copied—”
“Stop.”
Nolan’s voice cut through the room.
He turned back to Preston.
“What favor did Rosa refuse?”
Preston closed his eyes.
“Mr. Caleb wanted her to confirm he spent a night here three weeks ago.”
Nolan’s expression didn’t change.
“And?”
“She refused.”
“Why did that matter?”
Preston hesitated again.
Then he whispered, “Because his girlfriend’s husband hired an investigator.”
Caleb swore under his breath.
Nolan stared at him.
All this.
All of it.
His staff’s stolen wages.
Rosa’s eviction.
Camila crying in his foyer.
Because Caleb needed alibis while carrying on some affair reckless enough to require cover.
But Preston wasn’t finished.
“He also wanted Rosa to bring him a key from your late father’s study.”
Now Nolan went still.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“What key?”
Preston shook his head.
“I don’t know. He said Rosa sometimes cleaned the upstairs archive and could get into rooms without attracting attention.”
Nolan’s eyes flicked to Caleb.
His brother’s face had gone unreadable again.
“That’s a lie,” Caleb said smoothly. “A desperate man trying to save himself.”
Nolan took one step toward him.
“Then why does he know about my father’s study?”
Caleb spread his hands.
“I’m your brother. I know where the rooms are.”
Nolan kept staring.
His late father’s study had been locked since the old man’s death.
Only Nolan, his attorney, and the archivist had authorized access. Even most staff were kept out unless supervised.
Why would Caleb want a key?
And why target Rosa?
A knock came at the door.
Nolan’s assistant stepped in, pale.
“Sir, there’s another problem.”
Nolan didn’t look away from Caleb.
“What?”
She swallowed.
“Rosa Martinez’s personnel file includes a signed update form authorizing a second payroll bank account. The signature appears to be hers.”
Rosa’s voice came from the hallway.
“It isn’t.”
She had followed them.
Camila stood beside her, eyes huge.
Nolan looked at the paper his assistant handed him.
Rosa Martinez.
Account update.
Signature at the bottom.
It looked convincing at first glance.
Then Rosa stepped closer, shaking.
“That’s not how I write my last name.”
Camila pointed at the page.
“That’s the paper Mr. Harrison made Mommy sign when he said it was for school insurance.”
Now everyone turned to Preston.
His face collapsed.
And Nolan finally understood.
This wasn’t just unpaid payroll.
May you like
They had used Rosa’s identity.
👉 The fake account wasn’t merely hiding stolen wages—it had been created using Rosa’s forged authorization, which meant the theft had already crossed into identity fraud.
