Grant Mercer’s grip tightened around Nora Hayes’s upper arm as she knelt in a puddle of melting ice water, and one polite conversation after another at the nearby tables faded into silence.

Chapter 3: The Audit

"Tomorrow morning?" Nora asked, pulling the cashmere tighter.

"The Shawbridge Foundation is undergoing a surprise federal audit at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow," Evelyn explained, pulling out a sleek laptop. "I suspected Grant was siphoning funds for months. The provision I activated tonight didn't just freeze his accounts—it locked the entire foundation's server and notified the authorities."

Nora’s eyes widened. "That’s why he was so desperate to silence me. I’m a witness."

"You're a liability to him," Evelyn corrected. "But right now, you are the only person who actually laid eyes on the physical copies of the falsified invoices. We have digital trails, but Grant is smart. He likely wiped his digital tracks before the gala."

A heavy knock rattled the frosted glass of the office door.

"Ms. Shaw?" a security guard's voice called out. "We have a situation. Mr. Mercer refused to leave. He broke away from the escort and is currently unaccounted for in the building."

Evelyn’s jaw tightened. She looked at Nora. "Where did you put the physical portfolio after you picked it up?"

Nora’s stomach plummeted. "I didn't put it in the safe. I was too panicked. I hid it."