Chapter 2

The next day, I took half a day off.

I didn't go to Golden Sky.

I knew he wouldn't hide that woman in such an obvious place.

Golden Sky was most likely rented or bought by him for convenient meetings.

I went to Brooks's company.

The company we'd founded together. Although I was basically semi-retired now, the receptionist and veteran employees still recognized me.

"Lester's here."

"Lester, what brings you in today?"

I smiled and nodded in response.

I went straight to the finance office. The CFO was someone I'd personally hired.

"Betty, I need a favor."

I gave her the name and passport information for Brooks's "sister."

I'd found this information from the bank transfer records.

Payee: Marta.

"Help me check if this person has any business dealings with our company, or if she's related to any employee who submitted expense reimbursements."

Betty was smart. She didn't ask any questions, just nodded.

"Lester, give me a moment."

Half an hour later, Betty placed a file in front of me.

"Lester, this Marta interned in our design department for three months last year."

"She didn't stay after the internship?"

Betty shook her head. "At the time, her direct supervisor's evaluation was that her abilities were mediocre and her attitude flighty. So she wasn't offered a permanent position."

"Who was her direct supervisor?"

"Mark, the design department manager."

I picked up my phone and called Mark directly.

I arranged to meet him at the coffee shop downstairs from the office.

When Mark saw me, he seemed nervous.

"Lester, you wanted to see me?"

"Mark, relax. I just want to ask you something. Last year, did you have an intern named Marta?"

Mark's expression immediately became somewhat strange.

"Yes... there was someone like that."

"Why wasn't she given a permanent position?"

Mark hesitated, then lowered his voice. "Lester, about this... I wasn't planning to say anything. This Marta, during her internship, her mind wasn't on her work at all. Every day she'd dress up to the nines and run to Brooks's office."

My heart sank.

"Brooks said she was a child of some distant relatives, asked me to take care of her. But she... the designs she produced were just sloppy. I called her out on it twice, and she threw the files on my desk, saying I didn't appreciate them."

Mark sighed. "Then one time, I personally saw... her getting out of Brooks's car, and on her neck... there were lipstick marks."

The coffee shop's air conditioning was strong, but I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Who else knows about this?"

"Just a few of us old-timers in the department. Everyone kept quiet out of respect for Brooks. Later when she didn't get the permanent position, we all thought the matter was over."

Over?

No, it had just continued in a more covert way.

From company intern to "shy little sister."

I thanked Mark and went back to the office.

Betty was still waiting for me. She handed me another file.

"Lester, I also checked Brooks's personal expense reimbursements from the past six months. There are a few that I found... odd."

I took it. One was a five-star hotel dining receipt for thirty-eight thousand dollars.

Reason: Important client entertainment.

But the receipt date was our daughter's birthday.

That day, Brooks told me a client had a last-minute appointment, he had to entertain them, and came home very late.

Our daughter waited for him to cut the cake until she fell asleep.

The second one was a purchase record from the Hermès boutique, eighty-six thousand dollars.

Reimbursement category: Client gifts.

The third was a deposit receipt from an upscale maternity center next to Golden Sky, fifty thousand dollars.

Reimbursement category: Company team-building venue reservation.

I looked at that maternity center receipt. The customer signature was in Brooks's handwriting.

I gripped the papers in my hand.

The edges of the paper dug painfully into my palm.

Betty looked at me, concern in her eyes.

"Lester, are you..."

"I'm fine."

I stood up. "Betty, thank you for today. Please keep this completely confidential."

"You have my word."

I walked out of the office building. The sunlight was blinding.

I suddenly remembered that when I got married, I never bought any Hermès.

Brooks said those things were an intelligence tax, that the money would be better spent on solid investments.

I believed him.

I saved money for him, for this family.

He took the money we earned together and paid that "intelligence tax" for another woman.

Using the company's name, no less.