It started with a phone call that came in the middle of the afternoon. Sarah had been reviewing proposals for the hotel’s expansion when Ella rushed in, her face pale.
“Ma, there’s an emergency meeting in the boardroom,” she said, breathless. “The auditors found something serious. They said there are financial discrepancies — huge ones.”
Sarah froze for a second, her pen slipping from her fingers. “Discrepancies?”
“Yes, ma. They said several accounts aren’t balancing with the reports filed this quarter.”
Within minutes, Sarah was in the boardroom, where Julia sat surrounded by senior executives and auditors.
The atmosphere was thick with tension. Charts, documents, and printouts littered the table.
The lead auditor cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. “Based on our findings, t
