Kiss of Vengeance

CHAPTER 2

The elevator dinged softly, and I stepped out onto the Sterling Quarter floor, where Sinclair Global Holdings Inc. was built. The polished marble floors reflected my heels as I walked toward the lobby, the envelope of financial reports clutched tightly in my hand.

“Good morning, Madam. Miss Sinclair is waiting for you in her office,” her assistant greeted politely. I gave her a small smile in response before making my way to Maya’s office. I knocked three times before entering.

Maya was there, seated at her desk, focused on her computer while speaking on the telephone. I quietly stepped inside and closed the door behind me. She noticed me and quickly excused herself from the call. The moment she hung up, her lips curved into a smile.

“Sissy!” she greeted warmly, straightening in her chair.

I set down the documents I had gathered on her desk, including the reports.

“Something’s wrong. You’re not paranoid—there really is something off in these financial reports,” I said firmly.

Her eyes narrowed in question as I leaned forward.

“Look at this. There are withdrawals from the Eastvale account that I can’t explain. They’re repeated transactions, but always disguised under vague ‘operational costs.’” I slid the papers closer to her.

Maya studied the numbers carefully. “I see… You’re right. There’s a clear pattern here. This isn’t a simple mistake.”

I let out a slow breath, clutching the tablet in my hands. “We need to trace who’s behind this. It’s not just about money, Maya—it’s about Ralph’s legacy. His trust. His name. We can’t let anyone rob the company from the inside.”

Maya nodded, her expression serious. “Exactly. That’s why I’ve been reviewing other transactions too. But we have to be careful. We don’t know who has access to the data. Someone could be watching us.”

I scrolled through the tablet and showed her another detail. “See this? The same withdrawal appears three times over the last quarter. Same dates, same vague labels.”

Maya leaned closer, her brows furrowed. “I noticed that too. The amounts are massive. This could easily be millions a year siphoned away.”

For a long moment, we both stared at the screen in silence, the weight of the situation pressing down on us.

“Maya,” I said at last, “we need to coordinate. If we alert Ralph or the board right now, the thief will just bury the evidence. We have to gather proof first—bank statements, pay stubs, emails, everything that ties back to these fake transactions.”

She gave a firm nod. “Agreed. We can’t afford to tip anyone off. But this is dangerous, Dalia. We’re digging into something much bigger than we realize.”

I met her eyes, my chest tight but my resolve unshaken. “Then we’ll face it together. No matter what it takes.”

Her lips curved faintly into a small, brave smile. “Then let’s do this. But remember—we can’t trust anyone.”

The conversation ended, and I left Maya’s office with a heavy heart but a clear mission.

As I stepped out of the SGH building, a familiar voice called out behind me.

“I knew I’d find you here. Where’s your phone? I’ve been calling you nonstop!”

I froze—it was Kazel. I pulled out my phone and winced at the eight missed calls. I had left it on silent.

“What happened? Did something go wrong at the salon?” I asked.

“Nothing urgent, but seriously, Dalia, fire that manager already before I lose my temper with her!” Kazel said with exasperation, crossing her arms.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her attitude. “Let me guess—you had another fight with Lily?”

She pouted slightly, confirming my suspicion without words.

“By the way, where’s Ralph?” she asked.

“I haven’t seen him yet. His secretary said he’s in a meeting.” I shrugged, trying to sound casual.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the private investigator Maya and I had hired—PI Allen. He entered the lobby discreetly. I quickly moved closer, signaling to him without Kazel noticing. If she found out I was hiding something, she wouldn’t stop until she got the truth.

Allen caught my signal and understood immediately.

“Are you okay?” Kazel pressed, noticing my odd behavior.

“Yes!” I forced a smile, gesturing subtly for Allen to leave.

“Were you talking to someone?” she asked suspiciously, glancing behind her.

“No, someone just waved at me.” I lied quickly, praying she wouldn’t push further.

I quickly changed the subject. “Aren’t you going to the salon?”

“No. I’ve got something else to do.”

I nodded, and after a quick goodbye, I slipped out to where Allen was waiting in my car.

Inside, his face was grim.

“I checked the Eastvale project like you asked—the one under Apex Builders’ contract. The reports list two hundred and eighty workers on site.” He opened a folder, revealing neat columns of figures. “But when I went down there myself, counted every helmet, every ID badge… there were only one hundred and forty-three.”

My stomach dropped.

“Nearly half missing…”

“Exactly. On paper, the company is paying for almost double the workforce. Wages, benefits, hazard pay—all funneled through ghost accounts. Fake names, fake workers. And all that excess money? Redirected. Guess who signed every approval?”

My chest pounded as I waited for him to finish.

“The Chairman of the Board,” Allen said quietly.

My fists clenched. “Julian…”

It all made sense. His strange behavior, his insistence on moving Ralph and me to Rosemont City. He had been planning this for a long time.

“It’s a classic skimming scheme,” Allen continued. “Numbers inflated, money pocketed. The projects are real, just enough to cover suspicion, but the paper trail… it’s filthy.”

I shook my head, frustration bubbling. “Ralph has no idea. He trusts his uncle blindly. If I tell him now, Julian will twist everything, make me look paranoid—again.”

Allen’s eyes softened. “That’s why we need undeniable proof. Pay stubs, bank transfers, anything that ties back to Julian. But he knows how to cover his tracks. If you make one wrong move, he’ll bury you before you bury him.”

His words only fueled my resolve.

“So Maya wasn’t imagining things,” I whispered. “She was right. She must have figured it out before anyone else.”

Allen gave a grim nod. “And look where that led her.”

The silence between us was heavy, suffocating.

“Then we can’t stop here,” I said firmly. “If Julian thinks he can silence me, he’s wrong. I won’t let him destroy this company.”

Allen studied my face, the determination burning behind my grief, then gave a single nod. “All right, Dalia. But if we dig deeper, there’s no turning back. Are you ready for that?”

“I’ve been ready since the moment I started this investigation.”

He closed the folder. “Fine. I’ll keep digging. If I find stronger evidence, I’ll bring it to you immediately.”

I didn’t speak again, my mind already racing. I didn’t even realize he had already stepped out of the car.

Julian. I had always suspected him. Now, I finally had the beginning of proof.

I had to act before he realized I was onto him.

And I knew Maya would never stop until the truth was exposed. Neither would I.