Stella

Twenty-eight

limelight

The man stared at the golden-haired woman. A sigh was released from her slightly parted lips as her eyes rose to meet the man's chocolate irises.

"What have you found so far?" she asked and glanced at her father who sat at the head of the conference table.

"I believe we've found who may have been embezzling funds, and it's more than we expected." His thin lips pursed. His hands spread out the papers. "Your finance director, Ms Bernadette Williams, has been altering invoices and profits and paying it into a separate bank account under a false name. She has approved refunds from clients who never requested them, and they have gone into the aforementioned bank account."

"How much?" Richard gritted his teeth.

He adjusted his glasses. "$1,756,047.81 over a period of four years. She became more confident and bolder as time went on. She has bought a new house, a new car and went on expensive holidays." He shuffled his papers. "I have forwarded the evidence on to your lawyers who are now preparing a case against her to press charges."

"What are the chances we'll receive a conviction?" Richard asked.

"High. There's no explanation of where she could possibly have obtained so much money legally."

"I'll call a meeting with Mr O'Sullivan and Ms Williams to formally suspend her until further investigation has been made." Stella picked up her phone.

Richard nodded. "Tell her not to bother leaving the country. Her bank accounts will be frozen by the banks once they're tipped off about any illegal activity."

"Yes, Father." Stella picked up her things and turned to the tall, slender man. "Thank you for your help, Mr Brown."

"It is my job, Miss Callahan." He gathered his papers. "If there are any more questions, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Oh Stella," Richard's call made her pause. "Bring security with you, just in case."

"Of course, Father."

✦

"So, someone had the gall to steal from the Callahans?" He sat back. His finger tapped his cigarette to displace the ash.

"Yes, sir." Mr Brown nodded. "A woman by the name of Bernadette Williams. She's forty-nine-years-old with one daughter and an ex-husband."

He nodded and pursed his lips. "Look into her contacts and associations. Flag anyone with the name De Luca or any associations to those who are or were connected to them."

"Are we using legal or illegal means, sir?" He raised a brow at the stupid question. "Right." Mr Brown cleared his throat. "I'll look into it. It will take time, sir."

"Do what you have to do Mr Brown." He took a drag from his cigarette. "Keep an eye on my fiancée's situation."

"Of course, sir." He stood up from his seat and began to walk out of the office.

"How did she look?" His words paused Mr Brown in his steps.

The man raised his brows but quickly lowered them as he turned around. "Very beauti-"

"I don't mean what she looks like." He frowned at the man. "I mean, did she appear worried?"

Mr Brown thought for a moment. "She looked a bit stressed. A little tired, perhaps."

He nodded his head and waved his hand as a signal for him to get out, to which Mr Brown promptly obeyed and closed the door behind him.

He sighed when his door was pushed open not long after.

"What is it?"

"Don't be too excited to see me." His brother chuckled. "I heard Mrs Callahan requested the engagement be moved ahead, but Grandfather refused."

He sat back and nodded his head at his brother. "Yes, but he has agreed to help them if they ever need it. Miss Callahan will remain under our protection for the rest of her life unless the engagement is broken."

"I see. What's the problem?"

"Old enemies. Richard Callahan seems a little paranoid about the De Lucas rising up again."

His lips parted. "Really?"

"He has it on good authority someone has accessed De Luca assets that should remain otherwise untouched. Very few would know about it."

Ruben blinked. "I thought the ones who held any kind of power were gone."

"They are – or at least should be. Tommaso De Luca didn't have any heirs. He and his wife were struggling to fall pregnant at the time. There shouldn't be anyone who would have any interest in revisiting the past." He took a drag from his cigarette. "Now Mr Callahan is being careful."

"I can't really blame him after what happened to his wife and daughter."

He paused. "And daughter?"

"You didn't know?" Ruben's recoiled in surprise. "Stella Callahan was in the car with her mother. I heard from Father her injuries weren't that bad, though. She hit her head pretty hard but because she was in the back seat, her life wasn't in danger, nor did she receive any long-term health issues."

He hummed and breathed out a smoke-filled breath before stubbing the cigarette out.

"Is the engagement still the 3rd of December?"

"Yes."

"Well, you only have a couple of months to go then you can properly court her instead of being a creep at events." He laughed at the scathing glare his older brother sent him. 

His phone lit up and he sighed when he glanced at it. His brother looked at him with a raised brow.

"It's nothing." 

"I suppose you're looking forward to your engagement then?" Ruben continued. 

"Are you?" He raised a brow and watched his brother's shoulders slump.

"It would be fine if my fiancée didn't have a crush on my brother." He frowned at the desk. "I suppose this is why you and Miss Callahan are such a good match. You both have people pining after you." He chuckled, but his joke fell flat.

"You know I have no interest in her."

"I know."

"Once you start spending time together, she'll be able to see what kind of a man you are. You're a good, intelligent man, brother. She's only infatuated with the title of heir and the limelight. All they see are my successes, they don't know me."

He knew his brother faded into the background at times. Most just paid attention to the heirs unless they were the famous Callahan twins who both faced equal attention. Otherwise, the attention stayed on those who would usually have control of the family.

"I know." He smiled. "It's still a bit difficult to swallow, no matter what reason." He sat back with a huff. "At least Stella Callahan has no interest in titles and limelight."

"She already has her own. She doesn't need mine."