Chapter 3
Elena attended the board meeting.
That was her first act of defiance.
She arrived carrying Lucy’s small backpack because she had not had time to drop it at home.
Lucy herself stayed with a trusted nanny at Elena’s apartment.
Beatrice did not attend.
Her attorney sent a letter claiming she was recovering from “physical aggression and emotional distress” caused by Vincent at the banquet.
Vincent did not dispute that he had forced her away from Lucy.
The ballroom cameras had recorded it.
He also did not allow anyone to erase the footage.
Rebecca warned him that Beatrice might file a civil complaint.
“Then she files.”
“You’re getting unusually comfortable with documentation.”
Vincent looked at her.
“I’m learning.”
The governance vote proceeded.
Elena’s package passed narrowly.
Adopted children were formally recognized.
Independent compliance review became mandatory.
Beatrice’s authority to approve related-party grants alone ended immediately.
After the meeting, Elena did not celebrate.
She handed Rebecca a folder.
“What is that?” Vincent asked.
“Copies of grant records.”
He reached for it.
Elena did not let go.
“Before I give you these, I want something clear.”
Vincent waited.
“You don’t take this back to the family and ‘handle it.’”
His expression changed.
“You think I would?”
“I know you.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Yes, it is.”
She released the folder.
“If there is fraud, it goes to outside counsel and auditors.”
Vincent hated hearing his own daughter negotiate with him like he was a risk factor.
He hated more that she had reason to.
“Fine.”
Elena studied him.
“Say it.”
“If there is fraud, we do not bury it.”
Only then did she let him take the folder.
The first irregularity was almost boring.
A $46,000 grant to the Moretti Heritage Society.
The organization ran family-history events and maintained an archive.
Beatrice sat on its advisory committee.
Nothing automatically improper.
Then another.
$75,000 to the Bellmore Youth Legacy Initiative.
Its executive director was Beatrice’s goddaughter.
Again, not necessarily fraud.
Then another.
$110,000 to the Saint Aurelia Education Fund.
Rebecca flipped to the tax filings.
The address matched a building owned by a company controlled by Beatrice’s personal accountant.
Vincent looked at Elena.
“How long have you known?”
“I noticed the overlap eight months ago.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I asked questions.”
“To Beatrice?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“That young women with adopted children shouldn’t lecture her about family stewardship.”
Vincent went very still.
Elena continued.
“She made adoption the answer to everything.”
May you like
That became clue number one.
Whenever Elena asked about money, Beatrice answered with blood.
