Chapter 17 - THE CFO WHO SAID NO
The most important witness in the financial case was not me.
Not Dad.
Not Preston.
Maya Bell.
Forty-eight.
Chief financial officer of Reeves Design & Build.
She had worked there nine years.
Maya testified under subpoena.
She confirmed the company needed approximately $300,000 in bridge liquidity.
She also confirmed she refused to book "household reserve" money as company funding without documentation.
"Why?"
"Because source and purpose matter."
"Did Preston tell you the money would come from Orlando Castellani?"
"Indirectly."
"What did he say?"
"Family liquidity."
"Did he say Camille approved?"
"Initially, yes."
"Did you believe that?"
"At first."
Then she received the draft authorization.
My signature image.
Maya asked:
Has Camille reviewed this directly?
Preston replied:
We handle household approvals jointly.
Not yes.
Maya stopped.
She sent the file to outside accountant for review.
Before anything further happened, the kitchen incident occurred.
The $300,000 never entered company accounts.
No completed loss on that request.
Attempted fraud theory.
The earlier $153,750 clearly diverted to business uses remained actual loss to Dad’s family office if obtained through false representations.
The $10,000 mixed item was treated separately.
May you like
Good.
No inflated total.
