Ellie jumped and spun around. Susan was standing in the doorway. Her face was as white as a sheet.
“I was looking for the contracts with ‘Hillside Construction.’”
“And what did you find?” Susan’s voice was quiet, but it held a threat.
“Nothing. I was just…”
Susan stepped into the office and slammed the door behind her.
“Put those papers back. Now!”
“Susan, what are these contracts? I’ve never seen them before.”
“That’s none of your business!”
“But I’m an accountant. I’m supposed to know about all…”
“You are a junior accountant!” Her mother-in-law was practically shouting. Then she composed herself, taking a deep breath. “And your job is to do what you’re told, not stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. This is confidential documentation. You don’t have clearance.”
Ellie placed the folder on the desk. Her hands were almost steady. Almost.
“Fine. I’m sorry.”
She left the office, feeling Susan’s heavy gaze on her back. For the rest of the day, she thought about those papers, about the strange contracts with non-existent companies, about the millions of dollars that had bypassed the main accounting system.
That evening, after Mike had fallen asleep, she took out her laptop and started searching. “TechServe” didn’t exist. Not as a corporation, not as an LLC. The address listed on the contract led to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. She checked a few other company names she remembered. It was the same story—shell companies, fake addresses, zero public records.
Ellie leaned back against her pillow and closed her eyes. Her mother-in-law was stealing money. Through front companies, through fake contracts. Siphoning off millions, likely for years. And now she, Ellie, knew about it. Sleep did not come that night.
In the morning, Ellie watched her sleeping husband for a long time. His face was calm, relaxed. Not a single worry line, not a shadow of anxiety. He had no idea what thoughts had tormented her all night. Should she tell him? That his mother was a thief? Ellie imagined the conversation. “Mike, I found some documents. Your mom is funneling money out of the company through shell corporations.” What would he say? That she was exaggerating again? That it was some kind of mistake and his mother couldn’t possibly be involved? He wouldn’t believe her. He wouldn’t want to believe her.
But what if she was wrong? What if these contracts were for something legal, just secret? Maybe she just wasn’t privy to all the company’s dealings? No. You don’t use shell companies for legal transactions. Any accountant knew that.
Ellie got up quietly, went to the kitchen, and poured herself a cup of coffee. Outside, a gray October dawn was breaking. She needed to think. Carefully, rationally.
Option one: go to the CEO. Mr. Henderson seemed like an honest man. But what if he was in on it with her mother-in-law? What if the entire company leadership was complicit in these schemes?
Option two: gather more evidence. Quietly, discreetly. And then decide what to do.
Option three: just forget it. Pretend she saw nothing. Continue living as before. This last option was the safest. And the most cowardly.
Her Grandma Rose used to say, “Ellie, if you know the truth and stay silent, you’re a part of the lie.” Those words were etched in her memory forever. Ellie finished her coffee and made a decision. She would dig. Carefully, meticulously, piece by piece. She would gather the evidence. And then… then she would see.
At work, she acted as usual. She completed her tasks, answered questions, gave no reason for suspicion. But now she looked at her mother-in-law through different eyes. Susan had changed, too. She started watching Ellie more closely. She would pop into their department more often, casting sharp glances at her computer screen, checking what her daughter-in-law was working on. “She’s scared,” Ellie realized. “She’s scared I’ll talk.” This gave her a strange advantage.
For several days, she studied the databases, pretending to work on current reports. She identified a pattern. All the suspicious contracts were processed at the end of the quarter, when the accounting department was swamped and there wasn’t enough time to scrutinize every piece of paper. The amounts varied, from $50,000 to over a million. Always just below the threshold that would trigger an automatic audit. It was smart, professional. Her mother-in-law knew her business.
After a week, Ellie had counted nine suspicious contractors and a total sum of $2.5 million. Over the last two years. $2.5 million. The number made her head spin.
“Eleanor!” Her mother-in-law’s voice made her jump. “Come to my office.”
She walked into the office, trying to remain calm.
“Close the door.”
Ellie closed it. Susan sat at her desk, her hands folded in front of her. Her gaze was cold, scrutinizing.
“Are you looking for something, Eleanor?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Don’t play dumb. I’ve seen you digging through the archive files. What are you looking for?”
Her heart beat faster, but Ellie forced herself to maintain a neutral expression.
“Reconciling old contracts. You gave me that assignment last week, remember?”
Her mother-in-law narrowed her eyes.
“I thought you were interested in some very different documents.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
They stared at each other for a few seconds. Then Susan smirked.
“Fine. You can go.”
Ellie was already reaching for the doorknob when she heard from behind her:
“And one more thing, Eleanor. There are some things you shouldn’t get involved in. For your own good.”
She didn’t turn around. She just walked out, closing the door behind her.
“She suspects something,” Ellie told Kate that evening.
They were sitting in a small café near their office.
“I saw it in her eyes.”
“Then you need to hurry,” Kate said, setting down her cup. “Before she destroys the evidence.”
“Or frames me.”
“What?”
“I’ve thought about it. She could accuse me. Say that I was the one making these transactions, and she had nothing to do with it.”
Kate frowned.
“That would be hard to prove.”
“Why? I work in accounting. I have access to the accounts. And she’s the respected Head of Accounting with twenty years of experience. Who are they going to believe?”
“You need a lawyer.”
“Kate, you’re a lawyer,” Ellie said with a small smile.
“I handle family law, not criminal cases.”
“But you can at least advise me on what to do, can’t you?”
Kate thought for a moment.
“First, document everything. You can’t make copies; that could be considered theft of company property. But you can memorize things. Write them down by hand later, at home. Company names, dates, amounts.”
“I’m already doing that.”
“Good. Next, you need someone inside the company you can trust. Someone who can confirm these transactions were made without their knowledge. The CEO?”
“Maybe. But I need to be sure he’s not involved first.” Ellie nodded. “And most importantly…” Kate looked her in the eye. “Be careful. People who steal this kind of money will stop at nothing.”
“You think she might…”
“I think your mother-in-law is a dangerous person. And right now, you are a threat to her. Don’t forget that.”
Ellie got home late. Mike was already there, in the kitchen, warming up dinner.
“Where have you been?” he asked, kissing her on the cheek.
“Meeting up with Kate. We hadn’t seen each other in a while.”
“Ah, got it.” He smiled. “How was work?”
“Fine.”
She wanted to tell him. Tell him everything. About the contracts, her fears, her mother-in-law’s threats. But the words got stuck in her throat. He wouldn’t believe her. He’d say she was mistaken. He’d take his mother’s side, like always.
“Ellie, you seem down.” Mike put down his fork and took her hand. “Did something happen?”
“No, I’m just tired.”
“Maybe you should take some time off? Get some rest?”
“Maybe.”
She looked at him, at his kind brown eyes, the dimple in his chin, the crinkles at the corners of his lips. He loved her. She knew that. He loved her truly, sincerely. But love doesn’t make a person all-seeing. Sometimes, love makes you blind.
“Mike,” she said suddenly, “do you trust me?”
He blinked in surprise.
“Of course, what kind of question is that?”
“Just… just tell me you trust me.”
“Ellie, I trust you more than anyone in the world.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re my wife. My person. No matter what.”
“No matter what,” she repeated to herself. She wanted to believe it. She really wanted to.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I needed to hear that.”
The next day, Susan went on the offensive.
“Mr. Henderson, I need to have a serious talk with you.” She walked into the CEO’s office without knocking. Ellie saw it from the hallway; the door was slightly ajar.
“What is it, Susan?”
“It’s about Eleanor.”
Ellie froze, pressing herself against the wall.
“Our new hire? What about her?”
“I’ve discovered a discrepancy in her reports. A serious one.”
“What kind of discrepancy?”
“The numbers don’t match up. It looks like…” Susan paused. “Like an attempt to hide certain transactions.”
Ellie’s heart sank.
“Are you suggesting…” The CEO’s voice changed.
“I’m not suggesting anything yet, but I feel it’s my duty to inform you. Perhaps we should conduct an internal audit.”
Ellie didn’t wait to hear more. She silently moved away from the door and hurried to the restroom. She was shaking. Her mother-in-law had struck first. She had accused Ellie herself before she could gather the evidence. “Now there will be an audit. And if Susan has managed to cover her tracks…”
Ellie pulled out her phone and dialed Kate.
“I need your help. Urgently.”
The next few days were a nightmare. The internal audit began immediately. Ellie was suspended from work pending the investigation. Mike found out not from her, but from his mother, who called him with the terrible news.
“Ellie, what’s going on?” He burst into the house, pale and distraught. “Mom said you’re suspected of embezzlement?”
“Mike, it’s not true. But the audit… The audit will show I’m innocent.”
“Then where did these accusations come from?”
“Mike, sit down. I need to tell you something.”
And she told him. Everything. About the contracts, the shell companies, her suspicions. Mike’s expression changed as she spoke. First disbelief, then denial, then confusion.
“Are you saying that my mother…”
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