Chapter 6 - The Money That Belonged to Children
Chadworth had lost millions of dollars before.
Markets fluctuated. Investments failed. Businesses sometimes collapsed despite excellent planning.
He understood financial loss better than most people.
But the missing foundation money felt different.
It hadn't been set aside to purchase another building or increase his personal fortune.
It had been intended for children who needed tutoring, medical assistance, school supplies, and safe places to learn.
Elena had helped create the foundation shortly after Lorelai was born.
She believed that wealth carried responsibility.
Chadworth remembered her standing at a charity event years earlier, listening to a young student describe how a scholarship had changed his life.
On the drive home, Elena had turned toward him.
"Do you know what I love most about helping someone?"
He had smiled.
"That it makes you happy?"
She shook her head.
"That we may never know how much it matters. The important part isn't getting thanked. It's giving someone a chance."
He had never forgotten those words.
Now someone appeared to have stolen money intended to fulfill that promise.
Miriam arrived with preliminary records the following morning.
"We have identified several payments to a company called Cedar Vale Outreach," she explained.
Chadworth frowned.
"I've never heard of it."
"The invoices describe educational consulting, school programs, and community outreach."
"Did those programs happen?"
"We're still verifying. So far, we haven't found reliable evidence that several of the largest projects were delivered."
Graham placed a printed payment summary on the desk.
The figures were substantial.
Two hundred eighty thousand dollars.
Four hundred twenty thousand dollars.
Six hundred thousand dollars.
Each payment had been approved under categories that sounded perfectly charitable.
After-school development.
Youth counseling support.
Community education partnerships.
Chadworth studied the entries.
"Who authorized them?"
Miriam pointed to the signature fields.
"Victor reviewed the payments."
"And the final approval?"
"That's what concerns us."
She turned the page.
The authorization appeared to have come from Chadworth's own executive account.
He shook his head.
"I didn't approve these."
"We're investigating how the credentials were used."
Chadworth leaned back.
For years, he had taken pride in building systems that functioned without his constant attention.
He had delegated responsibility because he believed effective leadership meant hiring capable people.
But delegation without accountability had created spaces where wrongdoing could hide.
The resemblance to what had happened in his home was impossible to ignore.
He had trusted Sabina to supervise the household.
He had trusted Victor to oversee the foundation.
And he had failed to examine what either of them was doing with that trust.
"Preserve the records," he said. "Suspend any questionable payments through the proper channels, and involve independent auditors."
Miriam nodded.
"We've already started."
"I also want to know whether any legitimate programs have been affected."
"Why?"
"Because if children were promised something and didn't receive it, we need to make that right."
Miriam looked at him for a moment.
"Elena would have wanted that."
Chadworth lowered his eyes.
"I know."
That afternoon, he made another decision.
He drove to Lorelai's school.
He hadn't picked her up personally in nearly six months.
Usually, a driver handled transportation while Rosamund prepared snacks at home.
When Lorelai emerged from the school building, she stopped so suddenly that another child nearly walked into her.
"Daddy?"
Chadworth stood beside the car.
"Hello, sweetheart."
She looked toward the vehicle.
"Where's the driver?"
"Taking the afternoon off."
"Why are you here?"
He smiled.
"To pick up my daughter."
Lorelai looked confused.
"Don't you have a meeting?"
"I moved it."
She stared at him.
"Just for me?"
"Yes."
For a moment, she appeared uncertain whether to believe him.
Then she walked toward the car.
On the drive home, Chadworth asked about her classes.
At first, she answered with single words.
Fine.
Okay.
Nothing much.
But when he mentioned a science project, she began explaining how her class was building small bridges from wooden sticks.
Chadworth listened as she described the assignment in surprising detail.
He discovered she loved engineering.
He also discovered that she had been selected to present her project the following Friday.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
Lorelai looked out the window.
"I did."
Chadworth frowned.
"When?"
"At breakfast two weeks ago."
He remembered receiving a call during breakfast that day.
A property acquisition had required urgent negotiations.
He had stood up before Lorelai finished speaking.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"It's okay."
"No, sweetheart. I wish I'd listened."
She looked at him.
"Are you going to come?"
"What time?"
"Two thirty."
"I'll be there."
Lorelai studied him.
"Even if work calls?"
He took a breath.
"Even if work calls."
She smiled faintly.
It was a small victory.
But Chadworth was beginning to understand that rebuilding trust happened in moments like these.
Not through expensive presents.
Not through extravagant vacations.
Through showing up.
When they arrived home, Gemma ran toward him carrying her stuffed rabbit.
"Did you really go to Lorelai's school?"
"I did."
"Will you come to mine, too?"
"Of course."
Gemma considered this.
"Can you come when we make paper butterflies?"
"When is that?"
"Tomorrow."
Chadworth smiled.
"Then I'll see some butterflies tomorrow."
Rosamund stood nearby, watching the exchange.
For the first time, her expression showed cautious hope.
Later that evening, Chadworth joined the girls in the family room.
Gemma arranged toy animals across the carpet.
Lorelai worked on her bridge project at the coffee table.
Rosamund read quietly in an armchair.
Nobody seemed especially interested in the expensive television mounted on the wall.
Chadworth realized they were doing something he had almost forgotten how to enjoy.
Simply being together.
When Gemma accidentally knocked over Lorelai's wooden bridge, she froze.
"I'm sorry!"
Her voice was filled with panic.
Lorelai looked up.
For a moment, Chadworth saw the older girl's familiar protective instincts awaken.
He spoke gently.
"It's all right. We can repair it."
Gemma's eyes widened.
"You're not mad?"
"No."
"But I broke it."
"Then we'll build it again."
He helped Lorelai gather the scattered pieces.
Gemma watched him carefully before joining them.
The bridge took twenty minutes to rebuild.
By the end, both girls were laughing.
Chadworth felt something loosen inside his chest.
Perhaps healing did not always arrive as a dramatic breakthrough.
Perhaps sometimes it looked like three people sitting on the floor, fixing something broken together.
At nine o'clock, after the girls had gone upstairs, Graham entered the family room.
"Sir, the auditors found something important."
Chadworth set down a wooden stick.
"What?"
"The foundation payments were approved through your private authentication credentials."
"I know. Miriam mentioned that."
"Yes, but we've traced the approvals to a device registered at this residence."
Chadworth frowned.
"My office computer?"
"No, sir."
Graham placed a tablet on the table.
The records showed the time and location of three substantial transfers.
Every transaction had occurred late at night.
Every transaction had originated from the mansion's private study.
Chadworth stared at the dates.
On two of those nights, he had been traveling overseas.
On the third, he had been hospitalized briefly after a minor medical procedure.
There was only one person who had been given unrestricted access to his private study during all three periods.
Sabina.
Graham lowered his voice.
"Sir, there's something even more disturbing."
May you like
Chadworth looked up.
"Whoever approved those payments also used your credentials to access the girls' trust records."
