Chapter 6 - THE COMPANY WITH MY NAME
The shell company was called Vale Garden Design.
I had once discussed starting a small event-floral business under that name. Robert helped me reserve it while I worked at the venue.
I never opened an account.
Someone had revived the registration and used it to receive foundation money.
Payments then moved to Mercer Events Group and a consulting company tied to Robert.
The structure made me look like the first recipient.
My former employer placed me on leave from my current event-design position while the allegation was reviewed.
Alexander’s board suspended him from financial decisions because of the family conflict.
Within one week, we lost income, reputation, and access to accounts we needed for ordinary expenses.
The scheme was no longer about a ruined wedding.
It was designed to make resistance expensive.
I contacted one vendor listed in the shell company records despite Detective Grant’s warning.
The owner told me Robert had personally delivered invoices.
When investigators arrived the next morning, the office had been emptied and the owner denied speaking with me.
My impatience had warned another witness.
Alexander was furious.
“So I’m not allowed to demand answers?”
“That sentence sounds familiar,” I said. “Your family uses it whenever rules interfere with what they want.”
We spent the night in separate rooms.
The audit found that my old access code had been activated under Robert’s administrator account.
That cleared one technical piece.
It did not explain the company registration or transfers.
Then the wedding videographer surrendered an unedited microphone track.
Before the fountain incident, Chloe’s voice could be heard saying:
“If Emma signs, none of this is necessary.”
Ethan answered:
“She won’t sign after Alexander refused.”
Robert said:
“Then we use what she gives us.”
The recording ended when the videographer switched batteries.
It proved coordination.
It did not reveal the entire plan.
By afternoon, the same videographer withdrew permission to use the file and claimed the audio had been misunderstood.
May you like
Someone had paid the remaining balance on his failing studio mortgage.
The payment came from a trust controlled by Ethan.
