Chapter 6 - The Cost of One Call
Northstar fired Ryan before the internal investigation ended.
His company laptop contained confidential Morgan Ridge documents, altered contracts, and emails discussing commission payments tied to stolen bids. Chloe was dismissed as well, though her cooperation reduced the claims against her.
Morgan Ridge sued Ryan and Northstar recovered several million dollars through insurance and settlement agreements.
Federal investigators reviewed the forged authorizations and attempted transfer. Ryan eventually accepted a plea agreement involving financial fraud and unauthorized access to protected business systems.
He avoided a long trial.
He did not avoid losing everything else.
Our apartment had been purchased with funds from my father’s estate and remained mine under our agreement. The expensive car Ryan drove belonged to Northstar. His investment accounts were frozen during the civil proceedings.
The divorce court reviewed his attempt to steal from my protected account.
He received no claim to it.
At mediation, Ryan sat across from me in a plain gray suit instead of the tailored navy blazer he wore on the plane.
“You destroyed my career,” he said.
“You used my company to build it.”
“You could have confronted me privately.”
“You were stealing privately.”
His jaw tightened.
“You made one call and erased my life.”
“No,” I said. “I canceled your permission to keep using mine.”
May you like
He looked away.
For the first time since I had known him, Ryan had no audience left to charm.
