"No," Ethan replied, pacing near the fireplace. "He worked alongside Evelyn Thorne, our head of corporate due diligence. Evelyn has been with the firm for six years. Her record is spotless."
"In our profession, Ethan, a 'spotless' record often just means someone has been meticulous about hiding their tracks," Arthur remarked quietly. "Remember what happened with Chloe. The most dangerous threats come from those who have earned our unexamined trust."
"What are you suggesting, Dad?" Clara asked. "That Evelyn or Marcus is dirty?"
"I am suggesting that we do not make assumptions," Arthur said sternly. "Three years ago, Ethan acted on emotion and nearly destroyed this family because he believed what he saw on the surface. We will not repeat that mistake. We investigate silently, gather immutable evidence, and act only when the truth is undeniable."
Arthur stood up, walking over to the glass cabinet near his desk. He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it. Inside were three ultra-miniature digital audio recorders—no larger than a coin—equipped with encrypted wireless transmitters.
"We placed a camera on a bookshelf to save our family once," Arthur said, looking at Ethan. "Now, we protect our legacy with the same diligence."
Chapter 43: The Internal Audit
At 9:00 AM, Ethan called a surprise internal audit meeting in the firm's main conference room. Seated around the long glass table were Evelyn Thorne, Marcus Vance, and two senior partners.
Ethan stood at the head of the table, his expression unreadable as he projected a standard quarterly compliance report onto the wall screen.
"As we prepare to finalize the Vantage Tech merger next week," Ethan began, watching the faces in the room carefully, "the board has requested a secondary forensic audit of all cross-border asset transfers. It’s a standard formality, but we need to verify every ledger line item."
Evelyn Thorne leaned forward, her sharp blue eyes fixed on Ethan. She was in her late thirties, dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, known throughout the legal community for her relentless work ethic.
"Ethan, my team completed the due diligence on Vantage Tech three weeks ago," Evelyn said smoothly. "Every asset transfer was verified by independent auditors in London and Tokyo. Re-opening the audit now could delay the closing date and spook the shareholders."
"A two-day delay is preferable to an SEC investigation if an oversight occurred, Evelyn," Ethan countered gently.
Marcus Vance spoke up, adjusting his tie. "Ethan is right, Evelyn. Extra caution doesn't hurt. I can pull the London transaction receipts by this afternoon."
Ethan noticed a subtle flick of Evelyn’s gaze toward Marcus—a split-second flash of tension that disappeared as quickly as it came.
"Very well," Evelyn said, offering a tight smile. "I’ll have my team assemble the raw files for your review by 5:00 PM."
When the meeting adjourned, Ethan waited until the room cleared. He walked over to the side credenza where a box of pens sat near the coffee machine, discreetly placing one of Arthur’s micro-recorders beneath the wooden lip.
Chapter 44: The Taped Secret
That night, Ethan and Clara sat in Marcus’s private investigation office downtown, listening to the live audio stream transmitted from the conference room recorder.
For hours, there was only ambient noise—vacuum cleaners, distant traffic, and footsteps of the night janitorial staff. But at 8:42 PM, the conference room door opened and closed.
Two distinct voices echoed through the speaker.
"He knows something, Evelyn," Marcus Vance’s voice came through crisp and clear. "The way Ethan spoke during the meeting—he wasn't doing a routine check. Someone tipped him off about Project Aegis."
"Calm down, Marcus," Evelyn’s voice replied, cold and unbothered. "The leaked files were sanitized. Even if Ethan received a copy of the offshore transfers, he can’t trace the shell company back to us without the private key codes."
Ethan sat up straight, his hands clenching into fists as he listened.
"What about the SEC deadline?" Marcus asked nervously. "If Sterling delays the filing, Vantage Tech’s stock price will dip, and our short options will expire worthless!"
"Sterling won't delay," Evelyn said coldly. "Because tomorrow morning, an 'anonymous' tip will be delivered to the State Bar accusing Ethan Sterling of insider trading based on altered files. By the time he clears his name, the merger will be signed, our offshore accounts will be funded, and we will be on a plane to Dubai."
In the office, Clara gasped, covering her mouth. "They’re framing you again, Ethan! They’re using the exact same tactic!"
Ethan stared at the audio visualizer pulsing on Marcus’s screen. A strange sense of calm washed over him. Three years ago, an accusation would have driven him to confront the traitor in a blind rage. Tonight, he was a prosecutor preparing a trap.