Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Olivia
I’m in the middle of cleaning out my coffee truck when my phone buzzes on the counter, the screen lighting up with Sloane’s name.
I freeze for a second, trying to gauge if this is a good kind of buzz or one that’s about to send me into a tailspin.
I pick it up, figuring I can’t keep putting it off forever.
“Sloane,” I answer, trying to sound casual, but I’m pretty sure the second the word leaves my mouth, she can tell I’m on edge.
“Olivia,” she snaps sharply. “I’ve got something. A lot of something.”
I stand up straighter, bracing myself for the storm.
“What is it?” I ask, betraying the hope I’m trying to hide. “What did you find?”
“I’ve got everything, Liv.” There’s a pause, the kind that feels like a drum roll building up to something explosive.
“I’ve been digging into Richard Stokes for the past few days.
I’ve uncovered everything: his shady business practices, embezzlement, and cover-ups.
And guess what? He’s been siphoning off money from the company for years. It’s all him. Not you.”
A rush of relief floods me, so strong I almost have to sit down.
It’s him.
It’s really him.
I didn’t steal anything, and now I can prove it. I’m not guilty. “Wait, so you’re sure? He’s the one who’s been embezzling all this time?”
“Yes, Olivia. It’s him. It’s always been him.
” She sounds almost… proud. “I've got all the evidence: Bank records, financial statements, memos. I’ve pieced it together. He’s the one who’s been running the scam.
He’s been using you as his scapegoat to cover his tracks.
Ever since you left the company, you were the one he chose to blame. ”
I let the words sink in. I feel like I’ve just shed about a hundred pounds, but at the same time, the enormity of what she’s saying is catching up to me.
Richard Stokes is a criminal, and he’s been using me as a pawn. The sheer audacity of it makes my stomach churn.
“So, what now? What do we do with this?” I ask, my mind racing.
“I’m sending you the full file, everything I’ve got. You need to see it for yourself. Once you do, we go public with it. I’ve got some legal contacts lined up to help make sure it sticks, but once it’s out there, there’s no going back for him.”
I can feel the faintest smile tug at my lips, my shoulders loosening. “This is really happening, huh? He’s going down.”
“Hell yeah. You deserve to have this over with, Liv,” she says firmly. “I’m just glad I could help. But brace yourself… once we go public, things are going to get messy.”
“Bring it on,” I reply without thinking. The mess doesn’t even faze me anymore. Not after everything I’ve been through. “Thank you, Sloane. Seriously.”
“I’m just doing my job,” she says, as if it’s no big deal. “But I’m glad I could take this weight off your shoulders. I’ll send you everything now. You can start going through it, and we’ll figure out the next step.”
I inhale a deep breath. The air just tastes different now. “I’ll go through it right away. I can’t believe this is really happening.”
“You’ve got this,” Sloane says. “Talk soon.”
The line clicks off, and I’m left standing there, phone in hand, staring at nothing in particular. The adrenaline’s still coursing through my veins, but there’s something else bubbling up, too. Hope. Real hope.
My fingers fumble as I open my email, and sure enough, there it is—a massive attachment from Sloane.
My eyes fly over the documents, everything laid out in black and white. Bank transfers, falsified invoices, and financial reports with Richard’s name all over them. It’s undeniable. Richard’s been embezzling for years, and I was his scapegoat.
I don’t even know how long I stand there, scrolling through everything, absorbing each detail. I try to wrap my mind around how much he’s gotten away with, how much he’s stolen from people who trusted him. But the deeper I go, the worse it gets.
The first thing I notice is a set of transfers to unlisted offshore accounts, totaling in the millions.
These aren’t small, one-time payouts. They’re regular, ongoing siphoning—evidence of systematic fraud.
I can feel my stomach turning as I read through the account numbers.
They match Richard’s personal aliases. Names he’s used in business dealings to keep everything clean.
And the offshore accounts? Registered under fake businesses that don’t exist.
But it gets worse.
A memo dated last year catches my eye, detailing how Richard “managed” the company’s books to conceal fraudulent losses. Losses that never even existed.
In other words, he created fake debts within the company to conceal the actual theft.
That’s when I realize how far back this goes.
Richard’s been staging fake losses for almost five years, playing a game of smoke and mirrors.
But the worst part? He was planning to frame someone for the entire thing.
And he chose me.
There's a note buried at the bottom of an expense report that gives me chills: Olivia Quinn should be the fall guy. She’s expendable. If anyone investigates this, it’ll be on her.
I feel my heart skip a beat, but it’s the last sentence in that note that completely knocks the wind out of me: She’s the perfect target. Vulnerable, disgraced, and nobody will believe her.
I almost dropped my phone. This whole thing was never about me being a disgruntled employee or a careless worker. He set me up. He knew I’d fall apart the second he accused me, and he knew that no one would believe me.
I stare at the screen, my mind reeling as I try to process what I’m seeing. The complexity of his web, the sheer manipulation. It’s almost too much to bear. And yet, here it is.
The proof.
My hands are shaking, but it’s not from fear. Not anymore.
Don’t hesitate. I know it’s him. I know exactly what I’m about to do. I dial Richard’s number.
The phone rings once, twice, and then he picks up.
“Olivia,” Richard’s voice slides through the phone, smooth, like he’s always been the one in control. “I’ve been expecting your call.”
The arrogance in his tone makes my skin crawl, but I hold my ground. I’m not some vulnerable pawn anymore. I’ve got him by the throat, and I’m not going to let go.
“Funny, Richard,” I say, cold and sharp, “because I wasn’t expecting to call you at all. But I’ve got something you might want to hear.”
The silence on the other end is deafening. I can practically feel him stiffen, the wheels in his head turning as he tries to figure out what’s coming. But he won’t be able to outthink me this time.
“I’ve got the full file, Richard,” I continue, leaning against the counter as I feel the weight of the words.
“Everything. The offshore accounts, the falsified invoices, the fake debts, the cover-ups… I’ve got it all.
And guess what?” I pause, letting the silence hang, the power shifting in my direction. “It’s all you. Not me.”
His voice changes then, a crack slipping into his calm facade. “Olivia, listen, I… I don’t know what you think you have, but this isn’t what you think it is. There’s been a misunderstanding. A huge mistake.”
I smile, a cold, wicked smile that doesn’t reach my eyes.
“A mistake? Really? Investigative journalists don’t make mistakes like that.
You’ve been embezzling from the company for years, Richard.
Using me as your scapegoat. Setting me up to take the fall while you hide behind your lies.
” I take a breath, feeling the weight of it all settle on my shoulders.
“I’ve got the receipts. The bank transfers, the memos.
Even the note you wrote about how you planned to make me the fall guy.
You know the one… ‘Olivia Quinn is expendable.’”
There’s a long pause on the other end, and then his voice cracks, just for a second. “Olivia… please, this isn’t what you think. You don’t understand—”
“I understand perfectly,” I cut him off, stepping away from the counter, the adrenaline starting to pulse through my veins. “You’ve been stealing for years. And now, you’re going to pay for it.”
I can feel the panic creeping in. “Olivia, please… you don’t know what you’re doing. You can’t make this public. You’ll ruin everything. You’ll ruin yourself!”
“Oh, I think you already ruined everything,” I snap, fueled by the anger that’s been building up for so long.
“I’m done being your pawn, Richard. I’ve been through too much to let you get away with it.
You’re going to drop this case, and you’re going to stop trying to destroy my life.
Or I swear I will make sure every single person knows exactly what kind of monster you really are. ”
He’s scrambling now. I can hear it. The panic, the desperation. “Olivia, please… we can fix this. We can make this all go away. Just… just don’t publish it. Please. Think about the consequences.”
“Consequences?” I laugh, bitter and full of disbelief.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m thinking about them.
I’m thinking about how you used me as a scapegoat for your crimes.
I’m thinking about how you thought you could break me, but instead, you’ve made me stronger than I ever was before.
And now you’re begging? You’re begging me to keep your dirty little secret? ”
He’s silent for a long moment. I can almost hear him calculating his next move. But I’m not giving him any more chances. I’m done.
“No, Richard,” I say. “It’s over. You can’t fix this. You can’t run from what you did anymore. You’ve been lying, cheating, and stealing. And I’ve got the proof. The whole world will see it. I’m going to make sure of it.”
His voice shakes now. He’s lost all sense of control. “Olivia, please… don’t do this. I’ll lose everything. Don’t take this to the press. I’ll do anything. Just… just let me handle it.”
I stand up straighter, my heart pounding with power. “You should have thought about that before you tried to ruin my life, Richard. You made your bed. Now you can lie in it.”
And then, just to drive the final nail in, I add, “You’re finished. I’m not going to make your life any easier. The story is going public, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. It’s already too late.”
I can almost hear him choking on his words, and it’s music to my ears.
“Goodbye, Richard,” I say, cold as ice. “I’ll make sure everyone knows who you really are.”
I hang up The silence that follows is deafening. I feel the adrenaline rush coursing through me, but this time, it’s not from fear. It’s from triumph.
I don’t need to say anything else. I’ve already won.
I can breathe. And I know that this is only the beginning.
Richard Stokes may have thought he had me cornered, but now it’s my turn to do the hunting.
And I’m just getting started.
I stand there, phone still in my hand, the weight of the moment settling over me. A deep breath escapes me. It's almost like I can feel the air around me shift. I’ve done it. I’ve finally taken control.
I unlock my phone and pull up Sloane’s number, my fingers moving quickly as I type out the words, my heart pounding with each tap.
Olivia: I just called Richard. He’s freaked out. Publish the story!!
I pause for a moment, watching the screen as the message sends. A wave of excitement tinges the air around me, but I don’t have time to guess myself second anymore.
Richard can beg all he wants, but this is bigger than him. I know it. I feel it.
My phone buzzes almost immediately. I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face as I see Sloane’s reply pop up.
Sloane: Holy shit, Liv. This is HUGE. I’m so damn excited!! I’m already drafting the piece. This is going to blow up. It’s going to be amazing for my career, but most of all… it’s justice for you. You’ve got this, girl. You’ve really got this!
I laugh out loud, the sound of it both freeing and empowering. The excitement is bubbling inside me, the kind of thrill I haven’t felt in ages.
It's not just about the victory. It's the moment I realized I’m no longer the victim. I’m in charge of this story now.
Olivia: I’m counting on you. Make it loud. Make it impossible for him to hide anymore.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. A mix of relief and exhilaration floods me. It’s all happening. He can’t stop it now. The truth is coming out, and there’s nothing he can do to take it back. Not this time.
Sloane: You’re a hero, Liv. I’ll keep you updated. Get ready for the fallout, but also get prepared to stand tall. This is your moment.
The screen goes silent after Sloane’s message, but the weight of it all is finally starting to settle in.
I smile, feeling the last of my doubts dissolve—no more fear. No more looking over my shoulder.
I’m walking out of this as me.