Chapter 5 - The Web of Fraud
The Paper Trail of GreedI tried to sit up, but the rigid back brace locked me in place. "What are you talking about? How could they use my company name?"
Evan pulled out a stack of financial documents stamped with my forged signature.
"Three years ago, when you were recovering from your first spinal procedure, your father registered an LLC under the name Winslow Heritage Holdings—almost identical to your corporate name," Evan explained, pointing to the signatures on the bottom of the page. "He listed himself as managing director and added Taryn as chief marketing officer. Then, using fake financial statements stolen from your office computer, they took out over $400,000 in commercial loans from private lenders across Georgia."
My head swam. "Four hundred thousand dollars?!"
"They used your real company's stellar credit rating and your architectural portfolio to secure the loans," Evan continued. "They told the lenders they were expanding your restoration firm into luxury coastal resorts. But every single dollar went into funding Taryn’s lavish lifestyle—her designer wardrobe, her luxury trips, and... the $120,000 deposit for our wedding."
I stared at the papers in utter disbelief. "My father was stealing my company's identity while I was pulling eighty-hour work weeks to keep my crew paid?"
"It gets worse," Evan said softly. "The loan payments were defaulting. The primary lender gave your father a final deadline: Monday at 5:00 PM. If $60,000 wasn't paid toward the overdue interest, they were going to freeze all associated entities and file criminal fraud charges. That’s why your father transferred $62,000 from your account last night while you were lying on the floor."
The horrific puzzle pieces finally slammed into place.
Taryn hadn't just pushed me off that balcony out of petty jealousy or high-school-level malice. She and my parents needed me hospitalized or incapacitated so I wouldn't check my corporate bank balances over the weekend. They wanted me incapacitated long enough for the loan payment to clear, covering up their three-year fraud scheme before anyone realized what they had done.
"They didn't just try to kill me," I whispered, my voice trembling with cold rage. "They tried to turn me into their financial escape goat."
"And that’s why Detective Marcus is waiting outside," Evan said. "He has an arrest warrant for Taryn for Felony Aggravated Assault, and a search warrant for your parents' home in Hilton Head."
Before I could reply, my phone on the bedside table began ringing incessantly.
The caller ID showed: MOM.
Evan looked at me. "Do you want me to turn it off?"
"No," I said, my voice hardening. "Put it on speaker."
Evan tapped the screen and held the phone up.
"Audrey!" my mother’s hysterical voice shrieked through the speaker, drowning out the ambient hospital sounds. "You have to stop this right now! The police are at our house! They are standing in our driveway with handcuffs!"
"Hello, Mom," I said calmly.
"Don't you 'Hello Mom' me!" Vivian screamed. "Tell this detective that you made a mistake! Tell them you fell because you were dizzy! Taryn is locking herself in her bathroom crying! Her life will be completely ruined if she gets arrested!"
"What about my life, Mom?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet. "What about my back? What about the $62,000 Dad stole from my company account last night?"
There was a brief, sharp pause on the line before my mother’s voice turned from hysterical to venomous.
"That money belongs to this family!" Vivian hissed. "We raised you! We paid for your college! You owe us everything! Do you have any idea how much money we spent on Taryn’s wedding preparations? Over $150,000! If Evan cancels the wedding, we are ruined!"
"The wedding is already cancelled, Vivian," Evan interjected coldly into the phone. "And the caterers, the florist, and the venue have already sent full refund demands to your address."
"Evan?!" Vivian gasped. "You... you backstabbing traitor! We trusted you! You were supposed to join our family!"
"I’d rather jump off that balcony myself than join a family of criminals," Evan replied flatly.
"Audrey, listen to me," my father’s voice suddenly cut in, rough and commanding over the speaker. "You drop these charges right now, or I will make sure every client in Savannah knows your company is involved in a federal fraud investigation. I will burn your reputation to the ground."
I looked at Evan, then down at my hands, feeling the faint, miraculous tingle in my feet.
"Dad," I said slowly, every word dripping with absolute clarity. "You can't burn down something I’ve already rebuilt. See you in court."
Evan pressed the red end-call button.
May you like
Two seconds later, we heard the faint wail of police sirens through the open window of my hospital room.
The arrest of Taryn Winslow had officially begun.
