♣ CHAPTER 26 ♣
The following week, Kate stood in front of the mirror, tying her hair into a neat bun. Her face looked fresher, her skin brighter. The sickness was gone. Her strength was back. She was well taken care of.
She picked up her phone and dialed Tina's number.
"Tina," Kate said as soon as the line connected.
"Kate! You're alive!" Tina laughed on the other end.
"I missed you too," Kate smiled. "Listen, I resumed work at my dad's company today. And I need to see you."
Tina paused. "Is everything okay?"
"Not really," Kate replied. "But I don't want to talk over the phone."
"Alright. Where and When?"
"The biggest restaurant in town. After work. I'll make reservations."
Tina let out a dramatic gasp. "Biggest? You're not paying with your personal card, are you?"
Kate chuckled. "Relax. It's the Company's account."
"Oh, now we're talking," Tina teased. "Alright, I'll be there. We have a lot to catch up on."
"See you later."
Kate ended the call and sighed. Her eyes moved to the file on her table. Something about it didn't sit right.
A few hours later, Kate was at her office , sitting on her desk. Her assistant walked in.
"Ma'am, these are the documents Mr Carlos asked me to deliver to you."
Kate raised a brow. "Uncle Carlos?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She collected the files. "Leave them on the desk."
Once the assistant left, Kate flipped through the documents. Her brows furrowed.
"What's this?" she muttered.
The Figures didn't match. There are Names of fake contractors and Misplaced signatures.
Her heart pounded.
She picked up her phone and dialed her father's lawyer. The man picked on the second ring.
"Sir, can I ask you something about these contracts Uncle Carlos signed a few weeks ago?"
The man on the phone was silent, then said, "Kate, I thought you already knew."
"Knew what?"
"That your uncle's been moving funds,Creating fake subsidiaries, but be rest assured We've been trying to gather evidence."
Kate froze. "What?"
"We didn't want to alarm you until we had something solid."
Kate's hand trembled. "Thank you. I'll handle it from here."
She slammed the phone down and grabbed her bag.
---
Meanwhile, in a sleek office across town, Mr Carlos leaned back in his leather chair, he was speaking to someone on the phone.
"Yes, I already sent the files. Once they sign, we'll reroute the funds through the Singapore account," he said with a smug grin.
The man on the other end asked, "What if someone finds out?"
"Kate won't," Carlos said confidently. "She's too naive. All she cares about is family."
He ended the call and smiled. Just then, his phone rang again. The screen read: William Dray.
Carlos answered. "William! My favorite billionaire."
"Cut the sweet talk," William said coldly. "What's this sudden partnership you're offering?"
Carlos laughed. " It's Business, my friend. You get the land rights. I get the manufacturing deal. Win-win."
William's voice stayed flat. "You think I didn't notice the duplicate files you sent?"
Carlos's face tensed. "I don't know what you mean."
"You tried to push forged documents past me," William continued. "And you wanted me to co-sign them. Are you stupid or just desperate?"
Carlos kept his cool. "Look, mistakes happen. I'll fix it."
William scoffed. "Don't bother. I've already pulled out of the deal. And I've alerted the board."
Carlos gritted his teeth. "You'll regret this."
"No," William said. "You will."
He hung up.
Carlos threw his phone on the desk, breathing hard.
Then he picked up another line.
"It's time for Plan B."
---
That evening, Kate and Tina sat at a candle-lit table at the finest restaurant in the city.
"Wow," Tina whispered, looking around. "You weren't joking."
Tina stirred her drink slowly, watching Kate across the table. "You look tired. Like you're fighting something heavy."
Kate sighed, and leaned back. "I am, Tina. You can't imagine the mess I walked into at the company today."
"Talk to me."
Kate glanced around. The restaurant buzzed with soft music and quiet chatter.
She lowered her voice. "It's my uncle. He's been laundering money through the company. I found fake contracts, ghost suppliers, and forged signatures."
Tina's eyes widened. "Wait, Mr Carlos? Your dad's brother?"
Kate nodded slowly. "He's been doing this for a while. And no one said anything. Not even the lawyer."
"Why?"
"Because they were scared," Kate said. "He's powerful, Smart and Manipulative, But today, I saw through him."
Tina slammed her glass down. "Then we expose him. Call the press. Call the board."
"It's not that easy. He's already contacted some foreign firms. Trying to sell company assets. If he succeeds, we'll lose everything my father built."
Tina leaned in. "Then what's the plan?"
"I don't know yet," Kate whispered. "But I'm not letting him win."
---
Across the city, Mr Carlos sat in his office, the lights dimmed, his phone pressed to his ear.
"Yes. Move the funds to the Dubai account tonight. I don't care how. Just do it quietly."
He paused, listening.
"No. Kate suspects something. I saw it in her eyes today. But she has no proof. She's not a threat."
He hung up and leaned back, smiling.
Then his phone rang again.
"William," he said as he answered, "I was about to call you."
William's voice was sharp. "You're not very good at hiding your tracks."
Carlos chuckled. "Come on, don't tell me you're taking the girl's side now."
"I saw the files, Carlos. You tried to rope me into a dirty deal. Do you think I'd let that slide?"
Carlos's tone darkened. "You're making a mistake."
"No, you made it," William said. "I've frozen the partnership. And the board already knows what you're doing."
"You little—"
William cut him off. "Don't call me again unless it's a confession. Goodbye."
Click.
Carlos slammed his phone down and stood, he paced.
"She thinks she's smart," he muttered. "She has no idea who she's messing with."
He picked up the phone again. "Activate Plan B. Tonight."
---
The next morning, Kate stormed into the company boardroom.
All eyes turned.
"Where's Uncle Carlos?" she demanded.
"He's in his office," one of the directors replied, nervously.
Kate's voice was steady. "Call him Now. I want every board member here."
Minutes later, Mr Carlos entered, smiling like nothing was wrong.
"Niece," he said, and opened his arms wide, "to what do I owe this surprise?"
Kate threw a file on the table. "Explain these documents."
He picked them up slowly, flipping through. "These are... old. Where did you get them?"
"Answer the question."
He chuckled. "You've been snooping around, haven't you?"
"I found enough to see what you're doing. Creating fake firms. Selling our assets and Transferring funds."
One of the board members cleared his throat. "Carlos... is this true?"
Carlos shrugged. "Business is about risks."
Kate stepped forward. "This isn't a risk. It's theft. It's betrayal."
Carlos dropped the charm. "What do you think you're going to do? Fire me? I have shares. Influence. I've been here long before you."
"You'll be out soon," Kate said coldly. "I've reported everything to the legal team. They're already auditing."
Carlos stepped closer, his eyes hard. "You're making a mistake."
"No," she said, "you did. When you thought I was weak."
---
Later that day, Kate sat in her office, feeling exhausted. Her phone buzzed.
William: "I heard what you did. I'm Proud of you."
She smiled faintly.
But then she heard a knock.
"Come in," she said.
A junior staff member entered, he was breathless. "Ma'am... you need to see this."
He handed her a flash drive.
Kate plugged it in, and a video played.
It showed Mr Carlos, in his office, days ago, making calls. Signing fake deals. Talking to men she didn't recognize.
The staff said, "An intern caught it on a security feed. He sent it to me anonymously."
Kate stared at the screen. Her voice was low. "This... this is proof."
She leaned back and picked up her phone.
"Tina?"
"Yeah?"
"Cancel dinner. I need to pay someone a visit."