Chapter 14 - BROOKE’S BROTHER
Investigators traced Brooke’s financial scheme to her brother, Evan Carter.
His company claimed to provide property analysis to Vance Capital.
It operated from a rented mailbox.
For two years, Charles paid Evan more than four million dollars for reports copied from public records or deliberately inflated.
The false valuations helped Vance Capital obtain new loans.
Evan returned part of the money through consulting fees and private transfers.
Brooke received more than one million dollars.
Some of it funded her clothes.
Her apartment.
Her jewelry.
Even the expensive watch she gave Arthur had been purchased with money stolen from his family company.
When the estate approached foreclosure, Brooke knew the scheme might be exposed.
She needed a stronger position inside the Vance family.
Claiming credit for the anonymous property rescue transformed her from employee to savior.
The affair gave her influence over Arthur.
The board seat would give her access to company records.
The fundraiser gave her immediate cash.
Arthur looked at her.
“Was any of it real?”
Brooke stared back.
“You enjoyed every lie.”
“Did you love me?”
Her expression softened for a moment.
“I loved who I became when you chose me over her.”
Arthur looked toward me.
May you like
Their relationship had never been about finding love.
It had been about defeating someone else.
