CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MONEY

Laila’s review established that Northstar had received payments for work it could not substantiate.
The evidence did not yet establish where every dollar had gone.
Some invoices represented real work charged at inflated rates.
Others described services that had never been delivered.
The board referred the findings to the appropriate authorities and began recovering funds through counsel.
Cedric denied wrongdoing and blamed Northstar’s managers.
Northstar’s director blamed instructions from Cedric’s office.
Briana’s name appeared on several approval emails.
When she learned this, she requested independent legal advice.
She also asked Damian to meet her one last time.
They sat across from each other in a quiet diner.
Briana admitted she had approved invoices without checking whether the work had been completed.
She said Cedric had told her everyone handled nonprofit contracts that way.
Damian listened.
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because I want you to say I didn’t know.”
“Did you?”
She looked at the table.
“I knew I wasn’t supposed to ask questions.”
Damian could not give her the absolution she wanted.
He told her to tell the investigators exactly that.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE SECOND BETRAYAL

Yvette learned that Cedric had approached one of the foundation’s largest donors and offered to establish a replacement charity under his control.
He had described the existing foundation as unstable.
The donor called Yvette before committing any money.
She arranged a meeting and brought Simone.
The donor expected a battle between wealthy spouses.
Instead, Simone explained how the failed training center had affected people who needed services immediately.
She described the missed appointments, canceled classes, and temporary housing promises that never became actual rooms.
The donor asked why the foundation should be trusted again.
Yvette answered without blaming Cedric alone.
“Because the next round of funding will be tied to services people can verify receiving.”
Simone added that participants should have a direct way to report problems without going through the people being paid to provide the service.
The donor agreed to fund a small pilot program with independent oversight.
Yvette walked outside afterward and leaned against a wall.
“That was harder than any gala speech I’ve ever given.”
Simone looked at her.
“Good.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE DOOR OPENS

Damian returned to his old house to collect the last of his documents.
He had arranged the visit in advance because Briana still lived there.
Cedric’s car stood in the driveway.
Damian considered leaving.
Then he remembered the passport in the bottom drawer and went inside.
The bedroom door was partly open.
He heard Cedric laugh and Briana answer in a low voice.
Damian pushed the door open.
The scene confirmed what he had already known.
Briana jumped back.
Cedric told him to leave before things became ugly.
Damian retrieved his passport.
When Cedric asked what he had done, Damian told him that Yvette had left.
He said the sentence he had imagined saying for weeks.
“She’s incredible.”
Cedric looked genuinely shaken.
For a moment, Damian understood how easy it would be to mistake that expression for justice.
Then Briana asked whether he had been sleeping with Yvette.
Damian looked at her.
“Yes,” he said.
“After we separated.”
Briana covered her face.
Cedric moved toward the door, but Damian had already stepped into the hall.
He left without another insult.