barely touched him; he had weathered worse. His working-class upbringing taught him that arrogance often masked weakness.
Darla had worn that mask like a crown, unaware that her kingdom had fallen. Evan closed the file and opened a secure chat with chief investigator Marcus Vance.
Marcus waited in Chicago with a forensic accounting team outside headquarters. He confirmed the physical files were secured.
Evidence of Daniel’s embezzlement exceeded the preliminary digital trail. He had diverted millions into private accounts to fund his family’s lavish lifestyle.
the estate, the foreign vacations, the designer wardrobe—all of it had been stolen from operational payrolls. Even Darla’s eighty-thousand-dollar bag used money meant for truck maintenance and driver benefits.
Evan glanced at his reflection against the clouds. He felt neither malice nor triumph, only the weight of decisions awaiting him.
A few rows back, Darla’s phone buzzed against her knee. Daniel had texted with frantic
