Daniel studied him.

“What do you mean?”

Marcus looked down.

“I've noticed changes.”

“What kind of changes?”

“Orders.”

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

“Go on.”

Marcus sat across from him.

“Over the last six months, some of our supply orders have increased.”

“Which ones?”

“Produce. Meat. Wine. Basic kitchen supplies.”

Daniel glanced at Amelia.

“By how much?”

“Twenty percent. Sometimes thirty.”

“Did sales increase?”

“No.”

“Then why did you approve the orders?”

Marcus looked uncomfortable.

“I didn't approve all of them.”

Daniel leaned forward.

“Who did?”

Marcus hesitated.

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“On the order.”

Daniel's expression hardened.

“Marcus.”

“Yes?”

“I need names.”

Marcus took a breath.

“Most of the large orders were approved through the accounting system.”

“By whom?”

“Evelyn.”

Amelia immediately looked at her father.

“Evelyn Brooks?”

Marcus nodded.

Daniel's face remained expressionless.

Evelyn had been with the company for almost seven years.

She was the head of accounting.

She had handled Daniel's financial reports.

She knew the company's accounts better than almost anyone.

Amelia frowned.

“Are you saying Evelyn authorized these payments?”

Marcus shook his head.

“Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

“She didn't always authorize them personally.”

“Then who did?”

Marcus looked at Daniel.

“Her assistant.”

Daniel frowned.

“Nicole?”

“Yes.”

Amelia crossed her arms.

“This is getting complicated.”

Marcus nodded.

“There is something else.”

Daniel waited.

Marcus lowered his voice.

“Last month, I found an invoice that looked wrong.”

“What was wrong with it?”

“The company address.”

Daniel leaned forward.

“What about it?”

“It was listed as a warehouse in Indiana.”

Daniel frowned.

“And?”

“I checked the address.”

“What did you find?”

Marcus looked uncomfortable.

“A residential house.”

Amelia's eyes widened.

“Someone is sending restaurant money to a residential address?”

Marcus nodded.

“That's what I thought.”

Daniel stared at him.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

Marcus looked ashamed.

“I tried.”

Daniel frowned.

“When?”

“Three weeks ago.”

“I don't remember.”

“I left a message with your assistant.”

Daniel looked at Amelia.

“Did you hear anything about this?”

“No.”

Marcus shook his head.

“That's what worried me.”

Daniel slowly stood.

“Who was your message left with?”

Marcus answered.

“Nicole.”

The room became silent.

Daniel's expression changed.

“Nicole?”

“Yes.”

Amelia looked at her father.

“You think she intercepted it?”

“I don't know.”

Daniel walked back to his desk.

He picked up the folder.

“Marcus.”

“Yes?”

“Don't tell anyone about this conversation.”

Marcus nodded.

“Understood.”

“Not Evelyn.”

“Okay.”

“Not Nicole.”

“Of course.”

“And definitely not Ryan.”

Marcus hesitated.

“Ryan?”

Daniel looked at him.

“Why?”

Marcus sighed.

“Because Ryan and Nicole are close.”

Amelia raised an eyebrow.

“How close?”

Marcus gave an uncomfortable smile.

“They've been dating for almost a year.”

Daniel froze.

He looked at Amelia.

Then at the financial documents.

Then back at Marcus.

“So Ryan's girlfriend works in accounting.”

“Yes.”

“And Ryan works in the dining room.”

“Yes.”

“And someone has been stealing money through fake supplier invoices.”

“Yes.”

Daniel slowly sat down.

“That's interesting.”

Amelia immediately understood.

“You think Ryan knows?”

“I don't know,” Marcus said.

Daniel shook his head.

“No assumptions.”

He opened the folder again.

“We need evidence.”

Marcus nodded.

Then his phone vibrated.

He looked at the screen.

His expression suddenly changed.

Daniel noticed.

“What's wrong?”

Marcus didn't answer.

He read the message again.

Then looked at Daniel.

“Mr. Carter…”

“What?”

“There may be a problem.”

“What kind of problem?”

Marcus turned his phone around.

The message was from one of the restaurant's accountants.

“Someone is trying to delete the Harbor Crest payment records.”

Daniel's face became completely still.

“Right now?”

Marcus nodded.

“Right now.”

Amelia stood.

“Can they delete everything?”

“Not if we move quickly.”

Daniel grabbed his jacket.

“Then we're going downstairs.”

“Where?”

“The accounting office.”

Marcus looked nervous.

“Mr. Carter, if the person responsible is still inside…”

Daniel stopped at the door.

“That's exactly why we're going.”

He opened the door.

Then he turned toward Amelia.

“Stay behind me.”

She nodded.

The three of them hurried through the restaurant.

Nobody noticed at first.

But as they approached the hallway leading toward the accounting office, Daniel saw someone coming from the opposite direction.

A woman.

Dark hair.

Black cardigan.

A folder pressed against her chest.

She stopped when she saw them.

It was Nicole.

Daniel looked at her.

Nicole looked at Daniel.

Then at Marcus.

Then at Amelia.

Her face went pale.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Daniel's voice was calm.

“That's what I was about to ask you.”

Nicole tightened her grip on the folder.

“I was just finishing some paperwork.”

Daniel glanced at the folder.

“What paperwork?”

Nicole hesitated.

“Nothing important.”

Daniel held out his hand.

“Give it to me.”

Nicole didn't move.

Daniel looked directly into her eyes.

“Nicole.”

She slowly handed him the folder.

Daniel opened it.

His eyes immediately fell on the first page.

His expression changed.

Amelia stepped closer.

“What is it?”

Daniel didn't answer.

He turned the page.

Then another.

Then another.

Finally, he looked at Nicole.

“These aren't restaurant records.”

Nicole's lips trembled.

“No.”

Daniel held up the folder.

“These are copies of our bank statements.”

Nicole said nothing.

“And someone has highlighted every payment made to Harbor Crest Provisions.”

Nicole's face became completely white.

Daniel took one final step toward her.

“Why do you have these?”

Nicole opened her mouth.

But before she could answer, a voice came from behind them.

“Because she was told to keep them.”

Everyone turned.

Ryan was standing at the end of the hallway.

And for the first time that night, the arrogant young server looked genuinely frightened.

The hallway seemed to shrink around them.

Daniel stared at Ryan.

Amelia stared at Ryan.

Marcus looked from Ryan to Nicole, clearly trying to understand what he had just heard.

Nicole's hands were trembling.

“Ryan…” she whispered.

He didn't look at her.

Instead, he kept his eyes on Daniel.

“I can explain.”

Daniel's voice remained calm.

“I hope you can.”

Ryan swallowed.

“I didn't steal anything.”

Daniel held up the folder.

“Then tell me why your girlfriend has copies of our bank statements.”

Ryan looked at Nicole.

“Nicole?”

She shook her head.

“I didn't know what to do.”

Daniel immediately noticed the exchange.

“What didn't you know what to do about?”

Nicole looked down.

Ryan stepped forward.

“Mr. Carter, please. Let me explain before you make any decisions.”

Daniel nodded.

“Go ahead.”

Ryan took a deep breath.

“About three months ago, Nicole discovered some strange payments.”

Amelia crossed her arms.

“The Harbor Crest payments?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“She told me.”

Daniel looked at Nicole.

“Why didn't you report them?”

Nicole's eyes filled with tears.

“I tried.”

Marcus immediately spoke.

“You never told me.”

“I did.”

“When?”

“I sent you an email.”

Marcus frowned.

“I never received it.”

Nicole looked toward Daniel.

“I sent it to the address I had.”

Daniel's expression hardened.

“Which address?”

Nicole hesitated.

“My personal email.”

Amelia frowned.

“Why?”

“Because I was afraid someone was monitoring the company account.”

Daniel looked at her carefully.

“Who?”

Nicole shook her head.

“I don't know.”

Ryan finally spoke.

“That's why I told her to keep copies.”

Daniel looked at him.

“You told her?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because we thought whoever was doing this might destroy the evidence.”

Daniel studied him.

“So you knew someone was stealing from the company.”

Ryan nodded.

“Yes.”

“And you didn't tell me.”

Ryan lowered his eyes.

“No.”

“Why?”