Chapter 3: The Investigation of a Lifetime
The news of Isabella’s arrest broke before dessert was even served. The media had a field day: Socialite Falls from Grace After Failed Framing of Innocent Waitress.
Julian didn't stop at the arrest. He was a man of efficiency, and he applied the same rigor to his marriage that he applied to his corporate mergers. He hired a private forensic team to audit not just the restaurant incident, but every charity fundraiser Isabella had "managed" over the last five years.
The findings were catastrophic.
For every gala Isabella had hosted, thousands of dollars had been siphoned into personal offshore accounts. She had been using her charity status as a tax haven for her own greed, framing innocent staff members whenever someone got too close to the truth.
Julian sat in his home office, reviewing the files. Leo sat on the rug, playing with building blocks. Julian watched his son for a long time.
"You knew for a long time, didn't you?" Julian asked, his voice soft.
May you like
Leo didn't look up. "She always makes fun of the people who serve us. She calls them 'extras' in her movie. I just waited for the day she went too far."
Julian felt a pang of guilt. He had been so busy building the empire that he hadn't noticed the rot consuming his home. He resolved then and there that his son would never be raised by such cynicism again.
