Chapter 10 - Walter Had Already Suspected The Foundation Payments
Walter’s reaction surprised me.
He wasn’t shocked about Northbridge.
He was disappointed.
“There were questions already.”
“What kind?”
“Rates.”
He explained that an outside accountant flagged some invoices two months earlier.
Northbridge billed unusually high “strategic coordination” fees.
Walter asked Vivienne for supporting records.
She delayed.
Then said the documents were being updated.
The papers Lila saw her removing were duplicate invoice packets Walter had marked for independent review.
They later disappeared.
Vivienne told him he had probably moved them himself.
After his recent health issues, Walter accepted that possibility.
Exactly the same weakness she used against Lila.
Doubt.
Not because either person was incapable of remembering.
Because their confidence had become easy to challenge.
A recovering older man.
A seven-year-old child.
Two witnesses at opposite ends of life.
Vivienne positioned herself as the competent adult between them.
That was how she maintained control.
May you like
Until both stories finally matched.
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