Chapter 7 - Ryan Blames A Partner Nobody Expected
Ryan stopped denying the effort to remove Emily.
He admitted asking Vanessa to keep her away from administrative areas.
But he claimed the fake-vendor system belonged to Owen Hart.
Ryan said Crestwell discovered suspicious invoices two months earlier.
Instead of reporting them, Ryan tried to quietly investigate.
Why?
Because Owen was not just a college friend.
He was also an investor in Crestwell.
If Owen had been stealing through hotel vendors, public exposure could
destroy Ryan’s company.
Nathan’s voice was cold.
“So you protected your business by hiding a fraud investigation from
mine.”
Ryan nodded.
“That was wrong.”
Emily asked:
“And humiliating me?”
Ryan looked away.
“I panicked.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You told me she was obsessed with you.”
Emily nearly stood.
“What?”
Vanessa looked at her.
“He said you had been watching him for weeks.”
Ryan’s face flushed.
Vanessa continued.
“He told me you were jealous and trying to ruin us.”
Emily stared at Ryan.
She had barely spoken to him before that week.
Now his strategy became clear.
If Emily raised concerns after a public scene, she could be dismissed as
vindictive.
Emotional.
Jealous.
A disgruntled employee.
Ryan had not simply tried to remove a witness.
He had tried to write her motive in advance.
Nathan’s anger deepened.
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This was no longer about one insult in a ballroom.
It was about manufacturing credibility before the truth appeared.
