PART 3
My father did not raise his voice when he started to speak to the man who had betrayed us. “Mark, you did not come to this office today to receive a check for ten million dollars,” he said calmly. “You came here to explain why you tried to manipulate a family trust and steal from my company,” my father added.
Mark’s smile froze on his face and he looked as if someone had just slapped him. First, he tried to let out a short and nervous laugh to brush off the accusation. “Thomas, I think there has been a massive misunderstanding regarding the paperwork,” he stammered.
My father slid the first document across the table so that Mark could see his own forged signature. “No, there are many things in this life that can be confusing, but forged signatures are not among them,” my father said. Mark looked at the lawyers and then at the auditors as he realized there was no escape.
Robert spoke up and mentioned the medical bills that had been flagged by the accounting department. “We also have proof of every single payment made to the prenatal clinic in Santa Fe,” Robert noted. Mark’s face changed from pale to a ghostly white as he realized the secret was out.
My father then pressed a button on his phone and the recording of the accidental call began to play. “As soon as your father hands over the ten million dollars, I am leaving Audrey,” Mark’s voice boomed through the room. Then came the sound of Lydia’s laughter and the mention of the baby that they were expecting.
I walked into the boardroom at that exact moment and the air in the room felt electric. Mark stood up so quickly that his heavy chair scraped loudly against the polished floor. “Audrey, please let me explain what you heard,” he pleaded with a voice full of desperation.
