Some whispered into their phones.
A few walked directly toward the exit.
Derek looked around helplessly.
Everything he had built his public identity around was unraveling.
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
It was his chief financial officer.
Derek answered.
“What is happening at the office?”
The man’s worried voice was loud enough for several nearby guests to hear.
“We’ve received formal notices from the investment fund. The next financing release has been suspended. The lenders are reviewing our credit agreements, and several clients have called asking whether the fraud allegations are true.”
Derek gripped the phone.
“Tell them none of it is true!”
“Sir, investigators have also requested records from our accounting department. We need legal counsel immediately.”
Derek ended the call.
His breathing had become uneven.
He looked toward me.
“Amelia, please.”
I said nothing.
“We can fix this,” he insisted. “You have influence over the fund. You can explain everything.”
