Chapter 7 - THE MOTHER WHO CHOSE MONEY OVER FAMILY
Gertrude returned from Palm Beach expecting Damian to apologize.
Instead, he asked her to meet him in his attorney’s office.
No champagne.
No social guests.
No Brenda speaking for her.
Just Gertrude, Damian, Nadia, and copies of the messages she had sent.
Gertrude read the first page.
Her expression hardened.
“Where did you get these?”
“Does it matter?”
“Private family correspondence should remain private.”
“Not when it helps conceal financial misconduct.”
She placed the paper down.
“You are exaggerating.”
Damian leaned forward.
“Did you approve a plan to blame Fiona for missing funds?”
“I approved a contingency to protect the family.”
“From what?”
“Your wife’s reckless activities.”
He stared.
“Her activities?”
“She was selling jewelry and moving money into strange projects.”
“Her own jewelry.”
Gertrude’s jaw tightened.
“You have always been blind where Fiona is concerned.”
Damian almost laughed.
For months, he had been blind.
Just not in the way his mother meant.
“Mom, did you know the employee-assistance money was being diverted?”
Gertrude looked away.
That was enough.
“Did you?”
“I knew Brenda needed funds to maintain the family’s charitable profile.”
“Charitable profile?”
“The social events brought investors and donors into our circle.”
“And the employee fund paid for them?”
Gertrude said nothing.
Damian closed his eyes.
The dinners.
The travel.
The designer event planning.
The expensive publicity campaigns.
Some of the money apparently came from a program designed to help workers facing illness and financial hardship.
Meanwhile, Fiona had been buying groceries for people his family claimed to support.
He stood.
“I’m removing you from every family-office committee.”
Gertrude looked stunned.
“You cannot do that to your mother.”
“I’m doing it because you helped hurt my wife and our employees.”
Her eyes filled.
“Brenda said the money would be replaced.”
Damian went still.
“What?”
Gertrude covered her mouth.
The truth had slipped out.
“She said Westbridge was making short-term investments.”
“In what?”
“I don’t know.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know!”
Her voice cracked.
For the first time, Gertrude looked frightened rather than offended.
Brenda had told her that employee-assistance reserves could be invested temporarily and returned before any annual audit.
Gertrude accepted the explanation because she wanted the O’Connor name attached to prestigious charity events.
She had approved transfers she did not understand.
Then, when Fiona began asking questions, she helped Brenda discredit her.
Damian looked at his mother.
“You didn’t know where the money went, but you knew who you were willing to blame.”
Gertrude began crying.
He did not comfort her.
Not yet.
That evening, an emergency audit revealed another problem.
Victor Hales had resigned and disappeared.
His company accounts were empty.
Several financial records had been deleted.
And an overseas transfer had been initiated hours before his departure.
Amount:
$640,000.
Destination:
An account connected to Brenda’s former husband.
Damian called Brenda immediately.
She answered with a laugh.
“Finally ready to apologize?”
“No.”
His voice was cold.
“I’m calling because Victor has disappeared with more than half a million dollars.”
The laughter stopped.
Then Damian asked:
“Why is your ex-husband receiving the money?”
May you like
Brenda did not answer.
And for the first time, her silence sounded like fear.
