Chapter 18 - THE BOARD MEMBER WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
The next board meeting was tense.
Valeria said nothing about the investigation.
Instead, she presented the foundation's expansion plan.
One board member, Richard Hale, challenged nearly every proposal.
Richard had served Salazar Enterprises for seventeen years.
He had been close to Alexander.
He had also been one of the executives present at the gala when Valeria revealed her identity.
“We're spending too much on the foundation,” Richard said.
Valeria looked at him calmly.
“The foundation is funded through a separate allocation approved by the board.”
“Approved when the company was smaller.”
“And?”
“And now you're CEO.”
Valeria understood the implication.
Richard wasn't questioning the budget.
He was questioning her authority.
“Then let's review the numbers,” she said.
Richard suddenly became uncomfortable.
Daniel noticed.
After the meeting, he approached Valeria.
“Did you see that?”
“Yes.”
“He knew exactly which figure to challenge.”
Valeria looked toward the closed boardroom doors.
“Because he knew the number before the meeting.”
Daniel frowned.
“You think he's involved?”
“I think we don't accuse people without evidence.”
That evening, the forensic team found something.
Richard's assistant had accessed the same archived family database containing Valeria's mother's signature.
The access occurred three years earlier.
Two days before the first suspicious transaction.
Valeria stared at the screen.
“Now we have a direction.”
But she still didn't have the reason.
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And without the reason, she knew the investigation wasn't finished.
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