Chapter 4 - The Ledger
The next morning, Sophia found herself not in a maid’s uniform, but sitting in Julian’s private study, dressed in a tailored blouse and slacks provided by the estate’s stylist. Her burned arm was throbbing, but the painkillers dulled the worst of it.
Julian stood by the window, looking out over the sprawling grounds of the manor. "My accountants are idiots," he said bluntly.
Sophia blinked. "Excuse me?"
Julian turned around, tossing a heavy leather-bound ledger onto the desk in front of her. "I know your father was a degenerate gambler. I also know you graduated top of your class at Columbia Business School before he dragged you down with his debts. Look at these numbers."
Sophia cautiously opened the ledger. It only took her five minutes of scanning the columns to see the problem. "This is... sloppy," she murmured, her analytical brain taking over. "Your shell companies are bleeding money into off-the-books accounts, but the routing is completely visible to anyone who knows how to look. If an auditor got their hands on this, they’d pierce the corporate veil in a week."
Julian leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "The Sterling family just tipped off the District Attorney. We’re expecting an audit on Friday. Can you fix it before then?"
Sophia looked at the sheer volume of data, then up at the intimidating mafia boss who had saved her the night before. "It’s going to take seventy-two hours of no sleep. I’ll need full access to your offshore routing numbers, and a secure terminal."
"You have it," Julian said without hesitation.
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"You’re trusting me with the keys to your empire?" Sophia asked, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Julian walked closer, stopping just inches from her chair. He reached out, his large, calloused hand gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The touch sent a shockwave of electricity straight down her spine. "You took a burn that was meant to teach me a lesson, Sophia. Loyalty in my world is paid in blood. You’ve given yours. Now, let’s save my empire."
