Chapter 8 - The Foundation of Lies
The Sterling Foundation was housed in a pristine, glass building in the center of the city.
It was a monument to altruism.
It was a lie.
I walked into the lobby, my security team in tow.
The receptionist looked up, startled.
"Mrs. Sterling? We weren't expecting you."
"I'm sure you weren't," I said.
I didn't wait for an invitation.
I marched toward the executive suite.
The glass doors were locked, but my security team made quick work of them.
The office was empty, but the desk was covered in files.
I started flipping through them.
The lists of donors were enormous.
Most of them were anonymous.
I checked the account numbers.
They all led to the same Caymans server.
I had found the source.
The foundation was a recycling center for illegal cash.
I grabbed the files and stuffed them into my bag.
"We're leaving," I said.
As we reached the lobby, the doors locked.
The lights dimmed.
A voice spoke over the intercom.
"You're very persistent, Elena."
I stopped.
"Show yourself."
A screen descended from the ceiling.
It showed an old man, someone I recognized from the gala.
The man who had been Julian’s mentor.
"I gave you every chance to walk away," he said.
"You killed my father, didn't you?" I asked.
"Your father was a visionary," he replied. "But he was weak. He wanted to do good for the sake of good. He didn't understand the power of wealth."
"So you took it."
"I managed it. I ensured that the Sterling name would last forever."
"At the cost of human lives?"
"Small price to pay."
I felt a surge of rage.
"You think you can hide behind your money? You think you can use me to launder your sins?"
"I don't think, Elena. I know."
He pressed a button, and the lobby doors opened.
"You have twenty-four hours to hand over the files and resign from the board. Or you’ll lose everything. Including the townhouse."
I didn't answer.
I walked out of the building, my head held high.
I had the files.
I had the proof.
And now, I had the enemy.
The foundation was a titan, but even titans could be toppled.
I just needed to find the right lever.
I looked at my phone.
I had one call left to make.
To the one person who knew the foundation better than anyone else.
Julian.
May you like
I needed his help.
The war was about to become personal.
