Chapter 19 - The Third Signature
Marianne did not appear at work the next morning.
Her office had been cleared of personal belongings, but the company laptop remained on her desk.
Daniel obtained authorization to review her professional files.
Most had been erased.
One document survived because it had been attached to an archived board email.
It was the original application used to reactivate Account 417.
Graham’s signature appeared on the first page.
Marianne’s appeared on the second.
There was a third signature beneath theirs, hidden under an electronic approval mark.
Raymond Laurent.
Vanessa stared at the document when Daniel showed it to her.
“My father told me Graham contacted him only before the engagement.”
“He lied,” Daniel said. “He helped reopen the account almost a year earlier.”
Vanessa agreed to speak with Raymond while Daniel’s investigators listened from an adjoining room.
Raymond initially denied everything.
Then Vanessa placed the contract bearing Graham’s initials on the table.
“You promised this would protect us,” she said.
Raymond’s expression hardened.
“I did protect you.”
“You sold me to them.”
“I gave you an opportunity.”
“You gave Graham access to Adrian.”
Raymond finally admitted meeting Graham and Marianne through a luxury investment event. The Laurents owed millions after several failed property deals. Graham offered to clear part of their debt in exchange for help creating a financial scandal around Adrian.
Vanessa was selected because she could enter Adrian’s personal life without appearing connected to the business scheme.
Celeste trained her daughter to impress him.
Raymond created the false invoices.
Marianne designed the authorization documents.
Graham would use the resulting scandal to remove Adrian.
“Who created the false Dignity Fund beneficiaries?” Daniel asked.
Raymond shook his head.
“That happened after the wedding failed. Graham said someone else would handle it.”
“Who?”
“He never gave me a name.”
Raymond looked toward the dark window.
“He called that person the founder.”
Adrian exchanged a glance with Elena.
Martin and Graham had always been presented as the two brothers who built Vale Hospitality.
There had never been a third founder.
Yet Marianne had disappeared, and someone had continued the scheme after Graham’s original plan collapsed.
Daniel’s phone rang.
Marianne had used a company travel account to reserve a room at the first Vale Hotel.
The reservation was made under the name Amelia Grant.
May you like
Elena’s hand tightened around her cane.
She knew that name.
