Chapter 9 - The Calls He Refused to Answer
Kenton’s chief financial officer called fourteen times.
The fifteenth call came from the State Licensing Board.
The sixteenth came from his bank.
He answered none of them.
His attention remained fixed on Amber.
“You planned this,” he said.
“Yes.”
“You married my investor to steal my company.”
Isaac stepped closer.
“I am not your investor anymore.”
Kenton’s face tightened.
“You can’t withdraw.”
“I can recall every loan if the licensing guarantees were fraudulent.”
“They weren’t.”
Tessa held up the folder.
“You used Amber’s credentials without informed consent.”
“She knew.”
Amber spoke quietly.
“Then show them one document where I authorized you.”
Kenton looked toward Tessa.
She did not move.
“You were my attorney.”
“I was also an officer of the court.”
“You helped her.”
“I helped preserve evidence.”
Kenton’s phone rang again.
This time Isaac reached toward it but stopped before touching.
“Answer.”
Kenton finally did.
His chief financial officer shouted loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear.
“The bank froze the acquisition accounts.”
Kenton turned away.
“What?”
“Vale Capital filed a notice of material fraud.”
“You let them?”
“We had no choice.”
Kenton’s face became red.
“Move the funds.”
“They’re already locked.”
“Use the children’s trusts.”
Amber went still.
Isaac’s expression hardened.
The call was on speaker.
Kenton had forgotten.
Tessa’s eyes widened.
The CFO answered.
“Those accounts were flagged this morning.”
Kenton realized what he had said.
He ended the call.
The rain seemed to grow louder.
Amber looked at him.
“You were going to use my babies’ trusts.”
Kenton pointed at her.
“You don’t understand the structure.”
“I understand theft.”
“They aren’t even born.”
“That made it easier for you.”
The courthouse visitors had stopped pretending not to watch.
Kenton lowered his voice.
“You are humiliating me.”
Amber almost smiled.
“You did that yourself.”
A second black sedan pulled to the curb.
Not police.
State compliance investigators.
They remained inside.
Watching.
Waiting.
Isaac looked toward them.
Kenton noticed.
“What have you given them?”
“Enough to begin.”
“Begin what?”
“A full licensing review.”
Kenton turned toward Tessa.
“You said they were only asking questions.”
“They were.”
“And now?”
Tessa opened the folder.
“Now they have the original applications.”
Kenton stared at the pages.
His arrogance broke.
He stepped backward.
His heel slipped slightly on the wet pavement.
May you like
For the first time, he looked less like a powerful businessman and more like a man trapped inside his own lies.
👉 The original applications contained Marissa’s fingerprints—but the signature connecting Kenton directly to the fraud was still missing.
