“Yes.”
“This is impossible.”
“You never asked what I was doing while you were living overseas.”
He stared at me.
“You funded my lab?”
“Northstar funded your lab.”
He jumped to his feet.
“This is revenge.”
I didn’t raise my voice.
“Sit down.”
For once, he listened.
The forensic accountant turned on the screen.
Transaction after transaction appeared.
Equipment reimbursements.
Travel claims.
Consulting invoices.
Wire transfers.
Then Vanessa’s business registration appeared.
Her face went white.
Daniel turned sharply toward her.
“You told me that company was closed.”
She snapped back without thinking.
“You told me nobody would ever check!”
Silence filled the room.
I leaned back.
“Thank you, Vanessa.”
She froze.
Daniel’s expression collapsed as he realized what she had just admitted.
I folded my hands.
“Northstar has suspended funding connected to your project while an independent fraud investigation is conducted.”
Daniel stared at me.
“The institute has already received
