Page 49 of Forgive Me For I Have Sinned

"Oh, well now, Alaric, we can also just call her Veroni–"

"Call her by her first name, and I'll cut out your tongue," he says icily, pointing at him.

The man's face turns white, then gulps and looks away.

"Oh my," Sergio whispers.

"That goes for everyone except Sergio. He will guide my intern while she's here, assisting her with everything she needs. She will be addressed as the Intern. Not her first name or her last name."

Starburst clears his throat. "Intern it is," he says, giving me a nervous smile.

"Veronica, look over page five and give me your analysis," Alaric says.

I turn over the prospectus in front of me and turn to page five. I quickly scan the line items and immediately notice the issue as to why EBITA is higher than in previous quarters. I clear my throat, trying to calm my nerves about being put on the spot, before I respond. "Direct Labor was higher than normal because…um, there are more employees but no reason as to why the company is top heavy when development hasn't commenced to expand for a full quarter in the same positions. When everything else was the same the previous ––"

"She's not making any sense," the asshole to Alaric's right interrupts me in a raspy tone. I can smell the stench of old cigars permeating around him like a cloud. I can tell he has something to do with the company's financials because I know I'm spot on. A wave of annoyance causes me to drop the paper from the folder in my hand on the table.

"Interrupt her again, Gino, and I'll pull the funding from your next build."

Alaric is a capital investor and lends money to companies, then takes a percentage of the profits. Page five is a huge problem with a certain investment. But knowing how smart Alaric is, he already figured it out. These men are the ones needing money to fund different projects for companies that Alaric is investing in.

I wanted to avoid coming in with an attitude since I'm just an intern. They know I'm just a senior at Kenyan with no traditional work experience.

Alaric glances at me and says, "Continue."

I lick my lips, pick up the folder, and turn to page five, glancing at Gino. "Your company has hired employees that work in the same capacity, causing the direct labor to increase; therefore, increasing your EBITA instead of decreasing or at least staying the same in the last quarter. There is no reason to increase overhead when you are seeking capital funding unless there is a loss, but clearly there is nothing reported. Increasing your direct labor hurts profits. Is there a reason for the increased overhead when the project hasn’t broken ground? It would be detrimental to the company when you do have to hire the employees for the new project after it commences, putting the company in the red and risking not being able to pay back the loan, leaving with interest-only payments."

Gino's face turns a different shade of red. His jaw clenches in anger because I figured it out and it doesn't take a genius to know he's funneling money out in case it goes belly up or he already knows it will. The employees probably don't exist and are ghosts on paper. He would file bankruptcy, and then lenders would get pennies on the dollar when he has to restructure. He will then open another company while he has loads of liquid cash stashed somewhere.

"You're wrong," he barks. He looks at the rest of the men. "She's wrong."

"I'm right, and you know it. I bet those employees are ghosts on paper."

"What would you do, Veronica?" Alaric says in a soft voice. "If you owned my company?"

I stare Gino straight in the eye. "I'd pull the fucking plug on his whole operation and leave him having to get a loan at Wells Fargo, but that wouldn't work because I would place liens on his assets, causing the banks to pay you out before he files and they place it in a REO."

Sergio inhales air next to me, covering his hand over his mouth and stifling a smile as he looks away.

"Congratulations, Veronica. You passed your first test. My senior advisors couldn't find it, but you did in five minutes." I grin, and Gino looks like he's about to blow a gasket glaring at me like I'm the devil that fucked up his plan.

He pushes the chair back and stands up with a snarl. "You bitch. You're nothing but a cunt."

I flinch because I hear the sound of his belt buckle, triggering the mental image of an antique bathtub and the sound of hard breathing. My palms are sweating, and my heartbeat is pounding in my ears. I feel hot, imagining the steam from a hot bath.

"Are you okay?" I hear Sergio ask.

"I need some air," I whisper.

Sergio looks behind me and nods, getting up and guiding me outside the boardroom. The door shuts behind us, and I know I messed up in lashing out at one of Alaric's business associates, but I wanted to tell Gino to go fuck himself, the lying, stealing prick, but the sound of his belt buckle and him calling me a bitch and a cunt triggered the memories I try to forget every day. It also doesn't help when Portman shows up so he can take me home for the rest of the day when it’s the last place I want to be.

* * *

"How is your internship going? I heard you are interning with one of the most prestigious family's companies," Dr. Wick says with a cold smile, reminding me of Maleficent. The tone of her voice sounds regal. A bitch with a chip on her shoulder because she was fucked over by a man and wants to make other people's lives just as shitty.

"It couldn't be better. I watch old men in suits with a lot of dough, listen to their refined voices, and watch their hard cocks swell every time I walk by in heels. It's quite entertaining. You should talk to the board and get the male doctors to wear suits. I promise you, Dr. Wick, you won't be disappointed."

Her eyes narrow when I pull out another Virginia Slims and light it up just to piss her off. She takes a deep breath before the smell of smoke reaches her.

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