“I wanted to resolve a lot of things privately,” I said.
“Before I understood how long he had been lying.”
Two weeks later, Sterling Global officially terminated Daniel for cause.
The forensic audit went deeper than even I expected.
Investigators uncovered duplicate invoices, inflated consulting charges, and forged executive signatures connected to more than seventeen million dollars.
Daniel would eventually have to answer for those records in court.
His relationship with Chloe began falling apart almost immediately.
Once subpoenas arrived, her attorney claimed she hadn’t understood where the money came from.
Daniel’s attorney responded by suggesting Chloe had designed much of the financial structure herself.
Their supposedly perfect relationship survived for less time than their corporate cards.
I didn’t celebrate.
Because underneath all the legal victories was a painful truth.
For nine years, I had defended Daniel.
I defended him to my mother.
To the board.
To executives who warned me I was giving him too much operational control.
