“I know,” he said quietly. “That’s exactly why you need to come.”
I hit mute.
My youngest tugged gently on my shirt.
“Mommy?”
I crouched down to meet her eyes. “Go sit with your brother for a minute, baby. I’ll be right there, okay?”
She nodded and shuffled off, dragging her stuffed bunny behind her.
I unmuted the call. “Fine. I’m coming.”
I ended the call and immediately dialed Tessa next door. She answered on the first ring.
“I need a favor,” I said.
“I’m already tying my sneakers, Paige,” she replied. “Just go.”
I didn’t bother changing my clothes. I grabbed my purse and keys, kissed each kid on the head, and hurried out the door.
The drive blurred past me. My hands clamped the steering wheel too tightly. My jaw hurt from clenching it. Rage sat in the passenger seat beside me.
**
When I walked through the office lobby, everything felt too perfect—polished floors, quiet voices, a place that pretended problems didn’t exist.
Mark stood waiting near the front desk.
“They pulled the reimbursement reports,” he told me. “Hotel bookings, wellness claims, expensive gifts.”
I swallowed. “All tied to Alyssa?”
“They traced everything back to her vendor profile,” Mark said grimly.
“Texts too?”