“And now I hear you might be having some financial issues with the IRS? Sweetheart, some of we Warrens have been down that road before, and nothing good comes from it.”
“There’s no way Matilda told you that.” Or Henry, for that matter.
“I have my contacts in the agency. I had to, after what Gerald put me through.”
Monica interjected before her mother-in-law ran away with the conversation again. “I have everything under control in that regard. It’s just been a misunderstanding. As for my daughter, I’m not worried about what she is or isn’t exposed to. Henry and I have a plan for her development, assuming God sees it through.”
“Forgive me, but my son is still so besotted with you that you could convince him to let my granddaughter become one of these fallen women.”
Madison looked over from her conversation with another client when Isabella said that. Monica had yet another runaway train on her hands.
“You must think about Abigail’s future. Herproperfuture. She is the main heiress of this family now, and there will be many who attempt to stray her from her path. Even in that once-fond institution, Winchester Academy, there are gangbangers, immigrants, and other such criminals being allowed in.”
“Inelementary school?” Monica couldn’t even touch the other things yet.
“Who she associates with now will forever form who she becomes as a young lady. Do you want her tarnishing her reputation? You have to be careful with these things! The only reason Evangeline didn’t bring us completely into ruin with her troublemaking was because I ruled with an iron fist. Willful girls run in this family’s blood.”
Eva isn’t exactly a prime example of a well-adjusted daughter.She hated her mother enough that Nadia claimed there were nights when Eva could hardly sleep from the memories of her childhood. Isabella’s maternal abuse was rarely physical, but she knew how to strike a girl in the soul. Words, actions, and string-pulling. Wherever a Warren girl turned, there was Isabella, either in the way or dropping the curtain on independence.
Very much what Monicadidn’twant for her daughter.
“We should seriously discuss what kind of social circle Abigail will have as she grows older. Beyond the friends who will be in her wedding one day, allow me to put forth some families with age-appropriate sons who…”
“I’m sorry.” Monica lowered her voice. “Did you come to my place of work to talk about matchmaking my daughter?”
Isabella pursed her lips. “Must you put it in such a gauche way? I assure you, I only think of Abigail’s future. She’s stillyoung and impressionable enough that the women in her life can redirect her the right way. With Evangeline… well, she’s become a lost cause. But surelyyoumust understand what’s important for Abigail. She must not be led astray. Society may be quite confused these days as to what we want from our darling youth, but I am not. A Warren daughter must exemplify poise, grace, and beauty. Evangeline’s eventual children will be warlocks for all I know. Abigail, though…”
Isabella got up from her chair.
“If we ever came together under one cause, Monica, it would be for the sustained future of this family. Henry has done well steering the finances back on the right path. Will you help me maintain our social status through Abigail?”
She interrupted Monica before her mouth was parted.
“Or will I have to take matters into my own hands?”
Isabella marched toward the door, where the bouncer let her through. Monica was left in the middle of the room, surrounded by her employees having inane, tipsy conversations with paying customers. Madison laughed so loudly at a tasteless joke that it was all Monica heard for a few seconds.
That sounded like a threat.Every hackle she had raised a little more in Isabella’s presence – and now in her wake.
Chapter 5
Damocles
No amount of reassurance from her accountants made Monica feel secure when she met with them again the following Monday.Can I help it? Everything’s a mess.Another weekend with the in-laws had come and gone. Monica didn’t think she could handle another fortnight of her father-in-law’s offensive remarks and Isabella’s veiled threats. Now, here she was, sitting in her parlor with two of her three accountants going over their most recent findings and communications with the IRS.
“The money is missing, Monica,” said Lysa. “We’ve gone over your documents from two years ago as much as our manpower allows. You claimed on your form that Le Château brought in fifteen million dollars of profit. When we match that up with your subcontractor’s statements, it looks like you brought inthirtymillion dollars in profit, meaning you were not taxed for that other fifteen.”
“How is this possible?” Monica had long kicked off her shoes and now rubbed her feet on her couch. “I always go over everything multiple times. At most, there might be a discrepancy of a few thousand dollars if something wasn’t properly logged, but italwaysis. How could I have made twice as much as I thought? Is that even possible?”
“Of course it is,” Lysa said. “These things do happen. But we admit that even we’re confused, considering how meticulous you usually are at bookkeeping. We’ve also looked into possible missing investments, and there’s nothing unaccounted for.”
“I don’t mess around with money coming into my business.”
“No, of course not. I didn’t mean to imply that you did.”
Monica shook her head, her temples throbbing. “Fifteen million. Someone on the roster must be lying about how much they made. Or didn’t make. Maybe more than someone.” She couldn’t think of a single woman on her payroll who made fifteen million in a year. The most successful was Judith, and she was far from wealthy. She could retire well, but…
There was no getting to the bottom of this now. Monica had to move on with her day, all withthishanging over her head.
