Chapter 7 - THE SINGAPORE ACCOUNT
Jason’s face changed so quickly that Meline knew the answer before he spoke.
“There is no account.”
Sydney laughed bitterly.
“Really?”
“Sydney.”
“Don’t threaten me now.”
Jason grabbed her arm.
Terrence’s empty chair sat ten feet away.
Meline stepped between them.
“Let go.”
Jason released Sydney immediately.
Camera phones had begun appearing throughout the ballroom.
Meline’s security chief, Noah Grant, moved closer to the stage.
Sydney wiped her face.
“He moved money.”
“How much?” Meline asked.
“I don’t know.”
“From where?”
Sydney looked at Robert.
Meline followed her gaze.
Robert’s shoulders stiffened.
Meline understood.
“Dad’s company.”
Sydney nodded.
Robert slammed one hand on the table.
“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Then explain it.”
Robert glared at Sydney.
“You stupid girl.”
Something in Sydney finally snapped.
“No.”
Her voice rose.
“You don’t get to do that.”
“For two years, you told me Jason loved me.”
Elaine covered her face.
Guests began whispering louder.
Sydney pointed at her father.
“You told me it was fine because Meline was boring and she didn’t need attention.”
Meline felt the words land.
Not because they hurt.
Because they sounded exactly like Robert.
Sydney continued.
“You told Jason to keep dating her because getting close to her finances would save the business.”
Jason shouted, “That is not what happened.”
Sydney turned on him.
“You showed me the wire transfer.”
Silence.
Meline asked, “What wire transfer?”
Sydney swallowed.
“Two million eight hundred thousand dollars.”
Robert’s complexion went gray.
“From Carter Development to a company called Blue Harbor Consulting.”
Rebecca was already typing on her phone.
Meline looked at Malcolm.
He nodded once and stepped away.
Jason shook his head.
“It was consulting work.”
Sydney laughed again.
“You don’t consult.”
Jason glared at her.
Sydney looked at Meline.
“He said the money had to disappear before your father’s company went under.”
Robert charged toward the stage.
Noah Grant stopped him.
“Move.”
“No.”
Robert tried to push past.
Two additional security officers stepped forward.
The ballroom was no longer a wedding venue.
It had become a crime scene waiting for law enforcement to arrive.
Meline looked at Rebecca.
“Can you trace Blue Harbor?”
“I already asked.”
Thirty seconds later, Malcolm returned.
His expression was grim.
“Blue Harbor Consulting is registered in Delaware.”
“And?”
“The beneficial owner is Jason Mercer.”
Meline looked at the man she had almost married.
Jason stopped pretending.
His face became colder.
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“You were never supposed to find out.”
No one moved.
Jason smiled faintly.
“Your father was drowning.”
“He needed cash.”
“You had the credit.”
“You had the stability.”
“And I had the opportunity.”
Meline stared at him.
“So you stayed with me for four years because of money.”
Jason shrugged.
“At first.”
Sydney flinched.
Jason looked at Meline.
“Then I realized you were useful in other ways too.”
The insult hung in the air.
Meline felt something inside her finally close.
No grief.
No longing.
Nothing.
Then Rebecca’s phone rang.
She listened for several seconds.
Her expression changed.
When she hung up, she looked at Meline.
“The FBI financial-crimes unit is on the way.”
May you like
Robert’s knees nearly buckled.
And Jason finally stopped smiling.
