Chapter 6 - THE EMPLOYEE I TRUSTED MOST
Elise cried before I asked a second question.
That made it worse.
Not because tears proved guilt.
Because she had clearly been waiting for this moment.
“How long?”
“Eight months.”
My chest tightened.
Eight months of someone using my kitchen, equipment, staff access, and reputation.
“Who started it?”
“Lucas.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He said you knew.”
Everyone had been told that.
I was beginning to hate the phrase.
“What did he call it?”
“Lumina Private.”
I laughed bitterly.
Of course.
“How much business?”
She wiped her face.
“Some weeks ten thousand. Sometimes more.”
“Cash?”
“Mostly.”
“Where did it go?”
“I gave it to Lucas.”
“All of it?”
Her hesitation answered.
“Elise.”
“I kept ten percent.”
I closed my eyes.
My oldest employee had been stealing from me too.
Not because Lucas manipulated her completely.
Because at some point she chose the money.
“I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.”
She looked relieved.
“That doesn’t mean you’re staying.”
Her face crumpled.
I hated firing her.
Still did it.
Then she said something useful.
“I kept records.”
I stopped.
“Why?”
“Because Lucas never gave me receipts. I was scared he’d blame me eventually.”
Smart.
Selfish.
Useful.
She retrieved a notebook from her locker.
Dates.
Clients.
Amounts.
Menus.
Staff initials.
Forty-six events.
Estimated revenue:
$318,000.
I stared at the final column.
Some events were marked B.
“What does B mean?”
“Beatrice.”
My mother-in-law again.
“What did she do?”
“She brought clients.”
“Clients?”
“Her friends. Charity committees. Birthday groups.”
Then Elise added:
“She got referral money.”
“How much?”
“Five percent.”
I almost admired the family efficiency.
Everyone got paid except the person who owned the kitchen.
I called Elena.
Then my accountant.
Then the police non-emergency line to document unauthorized access.
Not because I wanted anyone dragged out in handcuffs.
Because facts needed timestamps.
That afternoon, I changed every code.
Alarm.
Office.
Cellar.
Vendor portal.
Reservations.
Payroll.
Lucas’s employee access was terminated.
So was Elise’s.
Gavin supervised the reset.
For the first time in years, the building felt mine again.
Then my accountant found something else.
The cash catering wasn’t just stolen revenue.
Lucas had used it to pay off part of his betting debt directly to Calder-linked entities.
Which meant Reece Calder had received money generated by unauthorized use of my restaurant.
Elena smiled grimly.
“That gives us leverage.”
“How much?”
“Enough that Calder may prefer cooperation to litigation.”
We scheduled a meeting.
Reece arrived alone.
No Sophia.
No lawyers inside the room, though both sides had them nearby.
He looked around Lumina.
“You built something valuable.”
“I know.”
“I should have verified ownership sooner.”
“Yes.”
“I want to settle.”
“What are you offering?”
He slid a folder across the table.
Calder would abandon the acquisition.
Return all confidential files.
Certify deletion.
Provide communications with Lucas and Sophia.
And pay Lumina $250,000 for unauthorized use of proprietary information.
I did not touch the folder.
“What do you want?”
“Release from civil claims after full compliance.”
“Against Calder?”
“Yes.”
“Not Sophia.”
He paused.
“No.”
Interesting.
He was sacrificing her.
“Why?”
“Because she concealed information from us.”
Maybe true.
Maybe convenient.
Then he handed me one last item.
A flash drive.
“What is this?”
“Security audio from a meeting Lucas had with Sophia in our office.”
I looked at him.
“You record meetings?”
“Common areas.”
I plugged it into Elena’s laptop.
Lucas’s voice came first.
Once the restaurant closes, Camilla gets nothing.
Sophia replied:
She owns the building lease rights.
Lucas laughed.
Not if she breaches the operating covenants.
My blood went cold.
“What breach?”
The audio continued.
Lucas:
Health-code violations. Liquor violations. Payroll problems. Pick one.
Sophia:
Those don't exist.
Lucas:
They can.
I stopped the recording.
Reece leaned back.
“Your husband wasn’t only planning to sell Lumina.”
May you like
He looked directly at me.
“He was preparing to sabotage it if you fought him.”
