Chapter 5
Lily had vanished.
I wasn't surprised at all.
She was never the type to love Alex for real.
She only cared about the money and status Alex could offer.
Now that Alex had fallen from grace, Lily disappeared faster than anyone else.
"Claire, what do you want to do about the criminal charges?" Wyatt asked.
He was waiting for my decision.
I looked out the window.
A kindergarten bus rolled by.
The kids' innocent faces squished against the window.
I said, "Let's not rush it.
"Just make sure we have all the evidence ready.
"Let's wait until the divorce is finalized before we decide."
I didn't want my baby to be born with a father in prison.
This was the last bit of dignity I could give Alex.
And it was the last bit of mercy I could show myself.
"Got it," Wyatt replied.
I hung up.
I told Sam to drive.
"Sam, we're not going back to the apartment," I said. "Let's go to the office."
Sam looked a bit surprised.
"The office?" he asked.
"Yeah."
I stared straight ahead.
"Skybridge Capital," I said. "I've been away from Skybridge Capital for three years.
"Now, it's time to get back to work."
*****
When I got back to Skybridge Capital's headquarters, it was exactly three in the afternoon.
It was exactly three in the afternoon.
It was the middle of the workday.
The whole building was quietly buzzing with activity.
I was dressed in a simple maternity outfit.
I wore flat shoes.
I was completely bare-faced.
The two girls at the front desk froze for a second when they saw me.
They didn't recognize me.
One of them stood up politely.
"Hello, who are you here to see?" she asked.
I gave her a friendly smile.
"I'm here to see Xander Sutton," I said.
Her expression turned a little awkward.
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked. "Our chairman doesn't see anyone without an appointment."
I was just about to speak.
Then a voice called out from behind me. "Leila, don't be rude."
I turned around.
It was Zoe, my dad's secretary for over twenty years.
Her face lit up with surprise and delight when she saw me.
"What brings you here?" she asked.
The two girls at the front desk instantly turned pale.
It finally clicked for them.
The only person in the whole company who'd ever call the chairman by his first name and was a Sutton.
Except for the legendary "princess" who was been on leave forever, who else could it be?
The two girls jumped to their feet, bowing over and over.
"Sorry, Ms. Sutton. We had no idea it was you," they blurted out.
I waved them off. "It's not your fault.
"I haven't been around in years; makes sense you wouldn't recognize me."
Zoe hurried over to me.
She gently took my arm, being extra careful.
"Why didn't you call ahead?" she asked. "I could've had the driver pick you up.
"You're expecting now; you really shouldn't be tiring yourself out."
Her concern was genuine.
It warmed my heart.
"I'm fine, Zoe," I said. "Is my dad in his office?"
"Yes, he is," Zoe replied. "Mr. Sutton's been in meetings all morning, dealing with Sunrise Tech stuff.
"He just got back to his office.
"Let me take you up."
Zoe gently supported me as we walked toward the private elevator.
As we walked through the office, every employee we passed stopped in their tracks.
They called out respectfully. "Hello, Ms. Sutton."
Their eyes were full of curiosity and respect.
But more than anything, there was a sense of relief, like they'd finally found their anchor.
The elevator took us straight to the top floor where my father's office was.
Zoe helped me push open the heavy wooden door.
My dad was seated behind his desk.
He was wearing reading glasses, poring over some documents.
When he heard the door open, he looked up.
He froze for a second when he saw me.
Then he took off his glasses and stood up.
A smile spread across his face.
"Our family's hero is back," he said.
I walked over and sat down in the chair across from him.
"Dad, I'm not here to claim any credit," I said. "I'm here to turn myself in."
My dad poured me a glass of warm water.
"Oh?" he said. "Go on, tell me."
"Back then, I went against your wishes and stubbornly insisted on marrying Alex Carter. I used the company's resources to prop him up.
"I turned him from a penniless nobody into a CEO worth millions.
"In the end, I raised a snake in the grass.
"He didn't just bite me; he almost dragged Skybridge Capital's name through the mud.
"Dad, I'm sorry.
"I was too naive, too foolish, and I caused you and the company so much trouble."
My dad handed me the glass.
His hand was warm and strong.
"Claire, you haven't done anything wrong," he said. "You're just too kind."
"You always want to see the best in people.
"The hardest thing to figure out in this world is what's in someone's heart.
"Trust me, even at my age, I've made mistakes in judging people.
"Every setback teaches you something.
"Sure, the price you paid for this lesson was steep, but it was worth every penny.
"At least now you know his true colors, and you've come out stronger."
He paused and then went on, "As for the company's reputation, don't worry about it. We handled things quickly and decisively.
"Now, everyone in the business world knows that Skybridge Capital's money isn't just there for the taking.
"And they all know my daughter is nobody's pushover.
"In the long run, this is actually a good thing."
I looked at my dad.
His hair was graying at the temples.
There were lines at the corners of his eyes.
But he was still the rock I leaned on, the anchor in my heart.
"Dad, thank you," I said.
"Silly girl, you don't have to thank me," he said.
He smiled.
"But Alex probably won't just let this go," he said. "I just got some news.
"He's reached out to a few financial reporters and set up an exclusive interview for this afternoon.
"Looks like he's trying to spin the story, make himself out to be the poor guy bullied by the rich and powerful."
I frowned.
"Is he really that shameless?" I asked. "When you're desperate, dignity is the first thing to go."
My dad said, "He's trying to use public opinion to pressure us into giving in.
"Or at least, he's hoping to have something to bargain with."
I let out a cold laugh. "Yeah, keep dreaming."
I pulled out my phone.
I sent Wyatt a message. [Wyatt, send all the evidence of Alex's embezzlement to the biggest financial media outlets. Do it anonymously.
[Schedule it to drop five minutes after Alex's interview starts.]
"I want him to eat his own words," I said.
After sending the message, I got up.
I moved to the floor-to-ceiling window.
I gazed out at the vibrant city spread out beneath me.
"Dad, I've made up my mind," I said. "Starting tomorrow, I'm coming back to work.
"Did you save the Deputy Director spot in Skybridge Capital's investment department for me?"
My dad walked over and stood beside me.
He stood shoulder to shoulder with me.
He gave my shoulder a reassuring pat.
His eyes were full of pride and satisfaction.
"Of course," he said. "It's always been yours. Welcome back, Ms. Sutton."
*****
Alex's exclusive interview kicked off right on time at four in the afternoon.
The livestream was on the top financial streaming platform online.
I was sitting on the sofa in my dad's office.
The huge screen in front of me was showing the livestream in crystal clear detail.
Alex looked thinner.
He looked haggard.
In just one day, he looked like he'd aged ten years.
He was wearing a borrowed designer suit, trying to hold onto whatever dignity he had left.
But the suit didn't fit him right.
He looked like a kid who'd stolen his dad's suit.
The host was a well-known powerhouse in the industry.
She was famous for her sharp, no-nonsense questions.
She looked at Alex, sizing him up with a curious gaze.
"Mr. Carter, hello," she said. "Thank you for agreeing to this exclusive interview at such a critical moment.
"I'm sure you've seen the news online.
"Regarding Skybridge Capital's sudden withdrawal of investment, and the 'personal conduct issues' mentioned in their statement, do you have anything you'd like to say to the public?"
Alex turned to the camera and managed a sad, earnest smile.
"Thank you," he said. "And thank you all for still being willing to listen to me.
And that was when he began.
He launched into his performance. "First, I want to express my most sincere apologies to Skybridge Capital and to Mr. Sutton.
"Because of some personal family conflicts, I've affected the company's operations. That's my fault.
He was skirting around the real problems.
He tried to blame everything on "family drama."
"My wife, Claire Sutton, and I married for love," Alex said. "I admit, I come from humble beginnings, while the Suttons are a big, influential family.
"I've been under a ton of pressure these past three years.
"I worked myself to the bone, trying to prove I was worthy of Claire, trying to make something big so everyone would know I deserved her.
"I barely got four hours of sleep a night, hustling for business, making deals, chasing investors.
"Sunrise Tech was like my own kid. I watched it grow from the ground up."
He was really laying it on thick, his voice dripping with emotion.
His eyes were red, like he was on the verge of tears.
He really made it look like he was the one suffering in silence, the poor guy forced to put up with everything.
"I love my wife," Alex said. "But maybe the huge difference in our backgrounds put a wall between us.
"She's always been used to having the upper hand, always being in control.
"And me? I just wanted to hold onto whatever dignity I had left as a man.
"What happened at the dinner party was just a misunderstanding.
"Lily is just my subordinate. There's absolutely nothing improper between us.
"My wife was probably in a bad mood, and we had a little argument.
"I admit I spoke a bit harshly, and I apologize for that.
"But I never expected her to punish me in such an extreme way.
"It wasn't just 70 million dollars.
"That money put food on the table for thousands of employees.
"It was what countless families were counting on.
"She didn't just destroy my dream; she shattered the dreams of everyone at Sunrise Tech."
By the end, his voice was choked with emotion.
The comments section below the livestream was starting to turn.
[So it's just another pity party for a live-in son-in-law.]
[Told you, it takes two to tango; no way this is all on one person.]
[Wow, Claire is ruthless! Just because of a fight, she goes and wrecks her husband's whole company?]
[She's pregnant and still stirring up drama? Seriously, who does that?]
I watched Alex on the screen and watched as the comments spun everything upside down.
I kept a straight face and tapped my phone awake.
I sent Wyatt a single word. [Go.]
Back in the livestream, the host pressed on with her questions.
"So, Mr. Carter, are you saying that you and Lily, your secretary, only had a straightforward boss-subordinate relationship?" she asked.
"Yes," Alex answered immediately. "Absolutely nothing improper between us."
"Absolutely nothing improper between us," he said.
No sooner had he finished speaking,
the host's earpiece crackled with the director's urgent voice.
Her face flickered with surprise.
On her tablet, breaking news alerts from major media outlets started popping up.
Each headline was more sensational than the last.
[Exclusive! Sunrise Tech CEO Alex Carter Accused of Embezzlement—Blew 10 Million Dollars of Company Money on His Lover.]
[Evidence Exposed! Alex Carter's hotel rendezvous records and property transfer contracts with Secretary Lily, all exposed.]
[Skybridge Capital Legal Team: We've got all the evidence on Alex Carter's embezzlement—criminal charges could drop any minute.]
The host's eyes sharpened instantly.
She looked up and locked eyes with Alex.
"Mr. Carter," she said. "Moments ago, we received several documents.
"One of them is a bank statement showing that in the past year, you made transfers totaling 10 million dollars to Ms. White's personal account.
"Another is a contract showing you used company funds to buy a luxury mansion in the city center for Ms. White, paying in full.
"And there's also a record of your stays with Ms. White at several five-star hotels."
With each piece of evidence the host revealed, Alex's face turned a shade paler.
The livestream camera zoomed in on him, giving him a close-up.
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
His lips quivered, but he was completely speechless.
The host kept pressing him. "Mr. Carter, you just claimed there was nothing going on between you and Ms. White.
"How do you explain all this, then? Was that 10 million dollars also part of Sunrise Tech's employees' dreams?
"When you were embezzling that money, did it ever cross your mind that you were committing a crime?"
Her questions cut like knives.
Each one hit right where it hurt.
Alex was in full panic mode.
His eyes darted around, his words tumbling out in a jumble.
"No that's not true," he stammered. "This is slander. It's all fake. It's Claire. She's trying to set me up."