Chapter 3: The Witness in the Shadows
"Maya isn't just an orphan, Evelyn," the Senator continued, walking past the cowering socialite to stand beside the girl. "She’s the sole survivor of the 'Westview Facility' fire—a fire that was started to cover up the very embezzlement these documents represent."
The guests were paralyzed. Every person in the room—judges, lobbyists, donors—was a stakeholder in the foundation. The screen showed photos of the ledger books, the forged signatures, and the physical evidence of the money-laundering operation Evelyn had operated for a decade.
Maya reached into the pocket of her stained dress and pulled out a small, metallic data drive. "She told me I was nothing," Maya whispered, her voice amplified by the microphone the Senator had subtly nudged toward her. "But I have every record she told me to burn. I kept them for the day she finally forgot who I was."
