Chapter 578
Chapter 578:
The fluorescent lights in the InnoTech accounting department buzzed with a sickening, high-pitched hum.
It was six o’clock in the morning.
Belle Escobar stood behind Caleb’s chair, staring at the computer monitor. Her eyes were bloodshot, the skin beneath them bruised purple from exhaustion.
Caleb’s fingers trembled as he typed the final authorization codes from the titanium USB drive. He hit the enter key. A green progress bar flashed across the screen, followed by a confirmation window:
Transfer Complete. USD deposited into InnoTech Primary Operating Account.
Caleb slumped back in his chair and wiped a thick layer of cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “It is done,” he breathed, his voice unsteady. “Belle, what do I put in the ledger for the origin of these funds? If the IRS looks at this p>
Belle chewed her thumbnail until it bled. “Label it as an injection from an anonymous overseas angel investor,” she ordered. “Route the paperwork through the shell company in Cyprus. Bury the origin. Make it impossible to trace quickly p>
She grabbed the freshly printed bank receipt from the tray—the paper still warm—and left the room.
𝖳𝗿𝗲𝗇𝖽𝗶𝘯 oո.со𝗺
In the executive washroom, she splashed freezing water on her face, applied a thick layer of concealer over her dark circles, and smoothed her hair back into place. She had to look victorious.
At 7:45 AM, Belle walked into Grayson Lancaster’s office at Lancaster Group.
Grayson was already at his desk, wearing a crisp white shirt with his tie loosened, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He looked exhausted.
Belle crossed to his desk and slapped the bank receipt down on the leather blotter. “The funds are secured,” she said, forcing her voice to sound strong and defiant. “Two hundred million. Liquid cash p>
Grayson picked up the paper and studied the numbers. His brow furrowed with deep suspicion. “Where did this come from?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “Yesterday you were struggling to keep the lights on. Today you have two hundred million in cash p>
“It is an overseas venture capital firm,” Belle said smoothly, holding his gaze without blinking. “They have been evaluating the Phoenix project for months. The wire transfer was delayed due to international banking regulations—that caused the temporary shortfall p>
Grayson set the paper back on the desk and leaned back, studying her face. He did not believe a single word. Venture capitalists did not wire two hundred million dollars overnight to a company facing federal fraud allegations.
“The money is there, Gray,” Belle pressed. “I solved the problem. Now reinstate my access to the consortium p>
Grayson picked up his pen and tapped it slowly against his knuckles. “The money buys you time,” he said coldly. “It does not buy back my trust p>
A cold knot formed in Belle’s stomach. “What does that mean p>
“It means you can remain a secondary vendor on the project,” Grayson replied. “But you are stripped of all executive decision-making power. Furthermore, I am dispatching a team of forensic auditors from PricewaterhouseCoopers to embed in your accounting department. They start at noon p>