Before the Darkest Storm

Chapter 4

"I..." he paused and turned to Seb, before he continued correcting himself, "we have something important to discuss with you. This needs to remain in this room. Not even Carrie can know about this." He said stiffly.

His voice, along with Seb straightening out sent my nervous system into a strange turmoil.

"Dad what's going on?" I asked nervously, I could hear the shakiness in my own voice.

"I'm sure Sebastian told you that I need to leave on business for a few days. That's the reason you were brought home earlier." He was tapping a gold plated ink pen on a notepad.

I nodded at him, not sure where this conversation was headed. I had a million crazy thoughts flying through my head and I was having a hard time focusing on the conversation at hand.

"Well the fact that I am leaving for business reasons is true, however, I am going to be gone longer than a few days." He said dropping the pen and lifting off his chair. He turned to face the window behind him and stared at the massive garden that my mom had created.

"How long?" I asked barely above a whisper. Fear started to set in, as I have never seen my dad so evasive.

He slowly turned around. The light coming through the window was presenting me with just his silhouette, making it hard of me to see any indication of emotion on his face.

"I am not sure. It could be almost a year if things don't go as planned." The grim voice came.

I shot up onto my feet, quicker than the beat of my heart.

"A year!" I exclaimed. Why would he need to go away for a year? I had just gotten back from barely ever seeing him and now he was leaving again?

I looked at Seb, searching for some kind of clue, but his face was a complete blank canvas. His eyes that were for once not cold were lazily observing me. I almost let out a huff of frustration. How is it that these two men were so good at hiding their emotions?

"Anastasia, please sit down." Dad let out calmly.

I glared at him before sitting back down. I knew better than to argue with him, even though that was exactly what I wanted to do at the moment.

"I know it's not what you wanted to hear. But there is something I have to take care of." He moved from the window and headed to the mini bar.

I watched him as he poured himself the same amber colored liquid that was quickly disappearing from Seb's glass.

"Dad," my voice came out more forceful than I intended, "what's going on?" I asked again.

He took a large gulp out of the glass, "I need you to understand that this can never leave this room."

When I nodded he continued, "I am being investigated for fraud. Now before you start looking down at me, let me tell you that I am as clean as a whistle. I have never committed fraud of any kind. I have built this company on hard work and sweat."

"But then why-?" I got cut off as dad continued.

"There has been fraud going on in the company. Sebastian actually brought it upon my attention that the numbers that the accountants gave him have been skewed with. If this gets out we will lose all our stock holders, and clients." He turned to me once again.

"I am not committing fraud but someone high up in my company is. Whoever they are have been really good at covering their tracks. All we know is that this is taking place in two places, the Brazilian headquarters, and at the Paris hotel. So it is more than one person involved. I am leaving tonight to Brazil and from there I'll go to Paris. I am going to figure out who is responsible for this so I can clear my name and keep my company safe." He finished the last bit of drink left at the bottom of the glass, and poured himself some more.