Dreadful Desire

Chapter 81

*** ⚠️⚠️⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️⚠️⚠️***

This chapter contains death by cancer, death of a child. If this is a trigger for you please stop reading at the next warning signs.

This weekend has been nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster. I'm elated he granted me the opportunity to clarify the photographs. Not only to explicate but embrace me and my detrimental decisions.

Gazing at him, whipping through traffic, I've come to the realization ... I'm the luckiest woman in the world. Feeling the heat in my gaze, he interlocks our fingers, raising my hand, kissing my knuckles, sending shivers down my spine. Inhaling a deep lung filling breath, I release it at a slow, blithesome pace with utopian hope.

Arriving at the building, we sprint straight for his office, gathering all the materials needed to display for Jordan's examination.

Without a moment to spare, Jordan whirls in the office, "Why did we have to meet so ... Oh, I didn't know Chloe was going to be here. What's going on?"

"Take a seat, Jordan." Axle waves his decorated hand towards the lounge area where I'm already perched.

My nerves spike, fingers fidget, leg bouncing like a ball being dribbled on a basketball court.

"I called you in today to inform you that I have procured evidence someone has been laundering money through the company."

"What! Who?"

"First, one of the reasons I hired Chloe was, she had no loyalties to anyone as a newcomer. Her loyalty lied with me as her newly acquired employer. She was given high security clearance to embark on the investigation privately. Prior to her hire, I derived to the conclusion, the person laundering money would have exclusive access to fabricate these types of transactions, which only meant, that person would have to be someone I imparted my trust into. I was not capable of being impartial."

Jordan's eyes slice listening to every word escaping Axle lips.

"Upon her research, she identified this," Axle presents the paperwork processing the illegal transaction.

Jordan scours the paper noticing her ID number aligns with the illegal transaction. Her already beautiful large brown eyes widen to the size of saucers in shock. 

"Axle this wasn't me. I don't even know this company. I would never do this to you. You should know I would never..."

Before she advanced in pleading her innocence, "I know you're not suited for such treachery Jordan. When Chloe presented her discovery, it was unfathomable to me. She evoked my memory of my incapability of being impartial. But it being you... I pressed her to go back and research further. Deep down, you betraying me, especially for financial gain, was just a fallacy."

Jordan twisted her head in my direction, "That's what all the side eyes were for during Thanksgiving, wasn't it?" Her inquiry was heated.

"Yes... and I'm sorry. Given the evidence against you, it seemed you were embezzling his money, then flaunting it in before him with the enormous pink diamond ring you proposed to Sharon with. We are not as familiar as you and Axle but, I trusted his belief in your character and uncovered this."

I relinquish her timesheets and paystubs for the day of the transaction. Her brown tints bounce around the papers analyzing every detail.

"I wasn't here that day?"

"No, thankfully you were not in attendance," I confirm with her.

"I remember, that was the last time I had the flu. It had been so long since I had gotten that sick. Sharon and I first started; she took such great care of me," her eyes lit up at the memory.