Chapter 7 - CHARLES TRIED TO MAKE REBECCA THE FALL GUY
Once the corporate investigation became formal, Charles changed strategy.
He denied directing the transfers.
Claimed Rebecca manipulated invoice approvals.
Claimed R.C. Consulting was her scheme.
Claimed the affair made him “careless.”
Claire almost laughed when his lawyers sent the first letter.
Careless.
As if $1.9 million wandered accidentally through shell companies because two adults were sleeping together.
Then Charles produced internal approvals bearing Rebecca’s digital credentials.
Bad.
Very bad.
Rebecca panicked.
“I didn’t sign half of those.”
Mara examined access logs.
Some approvals came from Rebecca’s workstation while she was in meetings elsewhere.
Others were executed at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m.
Remote access.
Using Charles’s executive IT token.
That changed the case.
Not enough to clear Rebecca entirely.
But enough to show Charles had used her corporate identity.
Then Claire found the most damaging email in a backup archive.
Charles to his CFO:
If this ever breaks, it sits with Rebecca. She owns the vendor.
The CFO replied:
Does she know?
Charles:
She knows enough.
Claire stared at the screen.
There it was.
The whole strategy.
Not romance.
Not passion.
Utility.
May you like
Charles did not merely sleep with Rebecca.
He positioned her as insulation.
