Filed to story: Watch Out, I’m The Lady Boss (Eleanor & Sebastian) Book PDF Free
“Didn’t you say that kind of cash injection could save the company?”
“It could, if he used it to pay down overdue loans or repay the money he’s already misappropriated. But he didn’t.”
“So what did he do with my money?”Silva flipped through the file and pointed to a page with string of numbers.
“Did he ask you to transfer the funds to this account?”Hooked.
“Yes. What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s not a corporate account. It’s not even in his name. belongs to a shell company, supposedly legitimate, but completely empty. The bank and the company are both registered in the Cook Islands.”My stomach dropped.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, he’s planning to disappear. The Cook Islands have no extradition treaty with us. Once he’s there, he’s untouchable. So’s the money.”Five million euros, gone. 1
No wonder he’d pushed so hard for the joint venture. I thought he was passionate about our collaboration. Turns out, I’m just a soft touch with deep pockets.
“Is he still in town?”
“Yes.”
“Then why the hell haven’t you arrested him?”
“Because he’s not planning to bolt just yet. He’s contacted several potential investors-people like you, who’ve heard of his name but don’t know what’s really going on-and he’s drawing them in, slowly. You’re the first to fall for his so-called joint venture, which is nothing more than a scam. We believe he’ll run once he’s pulled in around fifty million.”My throat was dry and my hands were twitching from the caffeine and rising fury.
“If you knew he was scamming me, why didn’t you warn me sooner?”
“We didn’t know for sure until he asked you to transfer funds to that account. We needed to confirm where the money went. We’re sorry.”He didn’t sound remotely sorry.
“Can I get my money back?”
“Possibly. But not until the investigation is complete and he’s been formally charged and convicted.”I wanted to call Fabrizio right then and there, demand answers, demand my money. But what good would that do? He’d know I knew, and he’d run.
“So what exactly am I supposed to do now?”
“You and Monsieur Marchetti appear to be close, We’d like-“I cut him off with a glare.
“What are you trying to imply He raised a hand in mock surrender.
“I’m not implying anything improper. Just that he’s relaxed around you, speaks freely. We haven’t yet traced all the funds hers misappropriated. If we can find out where they’ve gone, it’ll strengthen the case. Make it harder for him to wriggle out of the charges.”I snorted.
“Why don’t you bug his office and flat, then? m sure the French police have gear for that.”Unbothered, Silva replied, “Madame Vance seems to have a cinematic view of police work. We can’t wiretap a suspect’s premises without a court order. There are procedures.”
“Sounds like a “you” problem.” I stood.
“I’ve got thinking to do. Goodbye,”
“We were hoping you’d help us.”
“Help you how? I can’t even help myself.”I was already turning over ideas. How could I confront Fabrizio and get the money back without tipping him off? If he sensed I knew, he’d vanish. Simple as that.
I thought of calling Sebastian-but he’d only ask why I hadn’t told him sooner, why I didn’t talk to him before investing, and probably follow it with, “Told you so. Never trusted that prick.”1
“As I said, the money’s likely gone through several layers of accounts and landed in a foreign jurisdiction. We’ll have to convince them to return it, which is never easy. If they do, it’ll sit with our state’s asset management office while the legal dust settles.”The pressure in my skull was turning into a full-blown migraine.
“Just say it. The money’s gone.”
“Ordinarily, yes. But… there may be ways to shortcut the process.”
“How?”He gestured to the empty chair.
Isat, shoulders stiff.
“Monsieur Marchetti has several personal accounts within our jurisdiction. We can freeze them. Once he’s convicted, those funds could be redistributed to victims. Who’s to say the money you gave him wasn’t part of what’s in those accounts?”I narrowed my eyes.
“You’re saying you can refund my five mil out of his personal stash?”He nodded.
“It’s… unconventional. If the irregularity’s discovered, there will be consequences. I could be reprimanded or suspended. Which is why I’d only consider it for someone who’s been significantly helpful to the case.”
“So if I don’t play ball, I can kiss my money goodbye. That’s what you are saying.”He leaned back, the barest twitch of a smirk appearing. believe the phrase is, “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”
It didn’t take me long to decide.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Penny for your thoughts.”I turned from the floor-to-ceiling window.
“Nothing. Just thinking about work.”Lea didn’t buy it.
“Work doesn’t make you look like that,
“Not my work. Elean’s.”I glanced at the phone clenched in my hand. Elean had just texted to say she was extending her stay in Paris. She didn’t say how long. Just that work was piling up, they were short-staffed, and she needed to pull her weight. As if to prove the point, when I called, she barely got two sentences out before cutting the call.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling there was something she wasn’t saying.
It wasn’t what she said-it was how. Something in her tone. A kind of evasiveness.
“Ah, yes, the famous jewellery designer.” Lea tilted her chin towards the safe in the corner of the office.
“May 1?”I keyed in the code and unlocked it.
She removed the top box, opened a velvet case, and lifted out a necklace.
“What’s this one called again?”
“Veyra.”
“Pretty name. Eliza Black wore it, didn’t she? I remember the red carpet photos.” She put the necklace away. Wish I’d met your wife.”We’d left Paris before dawn. Elean was still asleep then.
“You will. At the wedding,” I said. Though, with each day that passed, and now with this delay, I was starting to doubt whether there’d be one in June. Or at all.
“Not before that?” Lea asked.
“I was hoping to order something custom. I saw her portfolio online. Exactly my taste.”
“I’ll let you know,” I said.
“How’s the case going?”Lea dropped into the chair in front of my desk and rubbed between her brows.
“My lawyer just filed the divorce petition. We’re waiting on Pierre’s response. But knowing him, he’ll drag it out for years.” She waved her phone.
“I changed my number. He’ll go ballistic once he gets served.”
“He can’t touch you here in Skyline.” This city was mine. In the meantime, you could start scoping out a Titanova office here.”
“Here?” She sat up, surprised.
“I thought you didn’t want us anywhere near your clean slate.”
“I never said that.” I just didn’t want the wreckage of my past spilling into my present. But Titanova was legit now-on paper, anyway.
“You’d still be CEO.”
“And you’d still be the puppetmaster.” She shrugged.
“Fie by me. But I’ll need time. And bodies. Kylian’s stuck in Belgrade, Rusty’s off chasing some woman in Medell?n, and Simon’s holding the fort in Eindhoven. I’ll need someone to show me the ropes here. Someone who knows the players. I don’t want to trip over anyone’s turf.”
“LGH gets invited to half the business events in the city rang Dominic and asked him to send over the latest calendar.
“There’s a chamber of commerce dinner coming up. I’ll get you in.”
“You coming too?” Lea’s mind was already turning gears When it wasn’t about her husband, she moved fast.
“I’ll think about it.” I was half-tempted to fly to Paris that afternoon, just to see for myself what Elean was up to.
If I’d known she was staying longer, I’d have insisted she take an assistant, never mind her protests. Right now, there was no one near her who could give me any insight.
Well, there was Fabrizio. But I’d rather chew glass than ask him for an update on my wife.
I’d thought about tapping my contacts in Paris, maybe asking someone to discreetly check in, but that would only make her dig her heels in once she found out.
And yes, I knew she’d been pulling away lately. Blaming it on work.
Maybe it was just pre-wedding nerves. Or maybe it was something more. I didn’t want to have to drag it out of her.
I was waiting for her to come to me.
Maybe I’d been pushing too hard-asking her to be part of the planning, chasing down guest lists, honeymoon destinations. I’d pulled back. Given her space. Let the silence breathe.
Maybe she’d realise the only reason I cared about the details was because this was OUR wedding. The only one I ever planned on having.
“There it is again.”
“What?”Lea pointed at me.
“That look. All faraway and scowly. Like something’s gnawing at you and you can’t decide what to do about it.”I sat down and turned to my computer.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Nope. I’m on holiday.”I slid a stack of documents her way.
“Then sort these. Prioritise. Flag anything urgent. You know the drill.”
“I’m not your PA,” Lea muttered.
“Not anymore.”
“Then either work or piss off.”
“Aye aye, boss.” She grumbled, “Kylian says you’ve changed. He should see this-same old slavemaster.”I gave her a look.
She mimed zipping her lips.
“Not a peep, promise.”A knock on the door. Dominic popped his head in, pausing when he saw I had company.