Chapter 3 - The Audit Unravels
"You can't terminate my agreement!" Claire shrieked, her composure utterly shattering. She stomped off the dais, her silver heels clicking frantically as she marched toward me. "I built this venue's reputation! I brought in the high-profile weddings! You’re just a glorified paper-pusher who sits in an office counting pennies!"
"You didn't build this venue, Claire," I replied, standing my ground. "You spent four hundred thousand dollars of venue revenue on your personal wardrobe, luxury European vacations, and lease payments on a Porsche you couldn't afford."
My father stepped between us, his face flushed red with anger, pointing an accusing finger at my face. "How dare you speak to your sister like that in front of our family! You’ve always been jealous of her success, Ivy! Jealous that she has charisma while you have nothing!"
"Dad," I said, my voice dropping to a icy whisper, "she didn't just spend venue revenue. She stole it."
Daniel Mercer pulled out a second stack of documents, handing a set directly to Mr. Vance and another set to my father.
"Over the past thirty-six months," Daniel explained calmly to the audience, "Claire Carter operated a secondary ledger. While invoicing clients under Carter Event Management, she directed high-value cash deposits into a private personal account. Meanwhile, all operational costs—maintenance, catering invoices, insurance, property taxes, and staff payroll—were routed directly to Ivy Carter's personal company, Willow Gate Holdings."
"That $26,400 bill for tonight's party?" I added, looking at my mother. "Claire told you she was sponsoring this celebration to honor the family. In reality, she forged my digital signature to auto-debit my personal account for the catering, the flowers, and the orchestra."
My mother looked down at her hands, unable to meet my eyes.
"Is this true, Claire?" Mr. Vance asked, his voice stern and formidable. "Did you forge authorization documents to cover corporate expenses using third-party funds?"
"No! She's lying! She's setting me up!" Claire panicked, grabbing my father's arm. "Dad, tell them! Ivy handles the books! If there are missing funds, it's her fault! She's the bookkeeper!"
"I am the owner," I corrected firmly. "And as of 8:05 PM tonight, I have initiated a full forensic audit of every transaction made under Carter Event Management over the last three years. The forensic accounting firm is already inside the administrative office upstairs."
As if on cue, two men in sharp suits accompanied by two venue security guards descended the grand staircase carrying three metal file boxes packed with physical invoices and hard drives.
"What are they doing with my files?!" Claire screamed, attempting to rush toward the staircase, but one of the security guards stepped smoothly into her path.
"Those files belong to Willow Gate Holdings per section 14 of your management contract," Daniel Mercer stated. "And since your contract is now revoked, you are officially trespassing on private commercial property."
Relatives began whispering loudly. Cousins who had spent the evening praising Claire’s business brilliance were now stepping away from her, pulling out their phones, and quietly taking videos of the escalating collapse.
"Ivy, please," my father pleaded, his arrogant tone suddenly evaporating into desperate bargaining. "We’re family! You can't do this to your own sister! What will people say? Think of the family name!"
"You didn't care about the family name when Claire threw my plate of food on the floor five minutes ago," I said, looking down at the red stain still visible on my shoe. "You told me to clean it up. You told me I was only here because I paid for it."
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I looked at Claire, whose tear-streaked face was pale with shock and rage.
"Well," I said, "I paid for it. And now the party is over."
