I looked at him carefully through the gap. “You must be Gavin.”
He nodded stiffly. “Gavin Prescott.”
I recognized the name immediately. He was a senior analyst at Aegis Financial Partners, which was one of Vanguard’s largest corporate clients.
Not long ago, he had presented findings during an internal fraud investigation that I supervised, though I had kept my camera off during those video conferences.
Daphne pointed aggressively toward me. “Tell her what you told us in the hotel lobby!”
Gavin looked from her to me with a grave expression. “I told them that the declined card was issued directly by Vanguard Forensic Solutions, and I told them the primary account holder was Nora Jenkins.”
A heavy silence filled the hallway.
Dad was the first to recover his speech. “So what? She does simple clerical work there.”
Gavin’s expression turned icy cold. “No, sir, Nora Jenkins founded Vanguard.”
Daphne let out a loud, forced laugh. “That is completely impossible.”
I released the security chain and opened the heavy door fully.
On the entry table behind me sat the State Medal of Financial Integrity, a framed photograph of my business partners, and a national magazine cover that Daphne had never cared enough to notice.
Gavin turned pale as he recognized the awards. “Ms. Jenkins, I am so deeply sorry, as I did not realize…”
“This is not your fault, Gavin,” I interrupted gently.
Daphne seized his coat sleeve nervously. “Stop acting impressed by her because she is always exaggerating her title!”
Gavin pulled his arm free from her grip. “Your sister led the investigation that saved my firm forty one million dollars, and my managing director calls her the most disciplined investigator he has ever met.”
Mom stared at me as though I had personally betrayed the family. “Why did you never tell us any of this?”
“I did tell you,” I answered flatly. “You said forensic accounting sounded boring.”
Dad pointed an angry finger at my face. “Turn the expense card back on right now.”
“No,” I replied firmly.
His expression darkened further. “We are your family!”
“You forged my signature on fraudulent loan applications,” I said.
That single revelation silenced him instantly.
I picked up a thick folder from the entryway table. “The emergency audit found the loans, it found Daphne’s unauthorized luxury charges, and it found Mom’s written approvals, all of which my attorney has preserved.”
Mom’s lips began to tremble uncontrollably. “You would not actually report your own parents to the authorities.”
“I have not decided yet,” I told her.
Daphne’s arrogance returned almost immediately. “You are bluffing because you need us and you always come back to fix things!”
I turned toward Gavin. “Did she bother to tell you that our parents live in my house?”
Gavin looked directly at Daphne with growing disappointment. “She told me that her father bought the house years ago.”
“The legal title belongs entirely to my company,” I explained. “Their occupancy extension was waiting on my desk for my signature yesterday.”
Mom understood the disastrous reality before the others did, and her knees almost gave way beneath her.
I continued speaking in a tone calm enough to frighten them. “Because I was not welcome at Thanksgiving, I assumed you all wanted complete independence, so the extension is canceled and formal eviction notices will arrive on Monday.”
Dad shouted in rage and rushed toward the doorway.
Gavin quickly stepped between us to block his path.
Then Gavin turned to face Daphne directly. “You did not exclude the embarrassing sister, but rather the woman who has been financing your entire life.”
Part 3
Daphne slapped him hard across the face.
The loud crack echoed sharply across the porch.
Gavin did not react aggressively. He simply touched his bruised cheek, removed a small velvet ring box from his coat pocket, and set it down on the porch railing.
