Then a supplier canceled a contract.
Then another.
Maya understood.
Someone was trying to pressure her.
But there was more.
She had discovered that one of the financial institutions connected to Victor had employees inside several banks.
People who could see confidential transaction information.
People who could track businesses.
People who could influence lenders.
That was why she chose Sterling National.
She wanted to know whether the bank was clean.
The twelve-million-dollar check was partly a transaction.
But it was also a test.
And she had already learned something.
Sterling National had a leak.
She just didn't know where.
The next morning, Maya received an email.
No sender name.
No signature.
Only one sentence.
You should have taken the twenty-five million.
Maya stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
Now everyone will know you have money.
Maya leaned back.
She wasn't frightened.
But she was concerned.
She opened a secure folder on her laptop.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Bank records.
Corporate structures.
Investment agreements.
Names.
Dates.
Transaction histories.
At the center was one name.
Victor Lang.
Maya had spent six months building a case.
She had evidence that Victor had manipulated stock prices through shell companies.
She had evidence of illegal pressure on suppliers.
She had evidence of confidential financial information being transferred between institutions.
And she had evidence that someone inside a major bank was helping him.
She didn't know who.
Yet.
But she would find out.
Three days later, Maya returned to Sterling National.
This time she wore the same coat.
The same shoes.
The same faded handbag.
The same expression.
But she carried no check.
She walked to the reception desk.
Brittany looked up.
Recognition flashed across her face.
"Oh."
Maya smiled.
"Good morning."
Brittany swallowed.
"Good morning, Ms. Carter."
"I need to speak with Mr. Pierce."
"Of course."
Brittany immediately called upstairs.
Within five minutes, Maya was escorted into Jonathan Pierce's office.
Pierce was in his late fifties.
He had been with Sterling National for twenty-nine years.
His reputation was excellent.
His office overlooked the city.
"Ms. Carter," he said.
"Please sit."
Maya did.
Pierce closed the door.
"I heard about your deposit."
"So did half the city."
He smiled.
"Perhaps."
Maya placed an envelope on his desk.
"What is this?"
"An offer."
Pierce opened it.
His expression changed.
Inside was a proposal.
Maya wanted Sterling National to manage a $180 million investment portfolio.
But there was a condition.
She wanted a complete forensic audit of every employee who had accessed her financial records.
Pierce looked up.
"Why?"
"Because someone leaked information about my deposit."
Pierce's face hardened.
"That's impossible."
"It happened."
"We take client confidentiality extremely seriously."
"I hope so."
Pierce stood.
"I'll investigate."
"Thank you."
Maya stood.
As she reached the door, Pierce said:
"Ms. Carter."
She turned.
"I believe you'll find that Sterling National is trustworthy."
Maya looked at him.
"I hope you're right."
She left.
Pierce remained alone.
Then he picked up the phone.
"Get Victor Lang on the line."
Victor Lang received the call in a penthouse overlooking Lake Michigan.
He was sixty-one.
Silver-haired.
Impeccably dressed.
He had the kind of confidence that came from decades of never being told no.
When Pierce finished speaking, Victor remained silent.
Then he asked:
"She knows?"
"I don't think so."
"Then why the audit?"
"She suspects someone leaked information."
Victor walked toward the window.
Below him, the city moved like machinery.
"How much did she deposit?"
"Twelve million seven hundred fifty thousand."
Victor smiled.
"That's only the beginning."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Let her investigate."
Pierce frowned.
"That seems dangerous."
Victor turned.
"Jonathan, do you know why people lose?"
Pierce waited.
"They become afraid of being discovered."
Victor smiled.
"I've never been afraid of discovery."
"Why?"
"Because by the time anyone discovers what I did, they usually need me."
The call ended.
Victor returned to his desk.
On it was a folder labeled:
CARTER INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS
Inside were documents about Maya.
Her father's research.
Her company's patents.
Her financial records.
Her employees.
Her suppliers.
Victor had been watching her for years.
He knew she was intelligent.
He knew she was stubborn.
He knew she was dangerous.
But he believed she had one weakness.
She cared about her father's legacy.
Victor planned to use it.
The following week, Victor made his move.
A company connected to him filed a lawsuit against Carter Industrial Solutions.
The claim alleged patent infringement.
The amount demanded was $40 million.
Then another company filed a second lawsuit.
Then a supplier terminated a major contract.
Then a lender announced a review of Maya's credit facilities.
Within seventy-two hours, her company was under pressure from every direction.
Her attorneys were furious.
Her executives were nervous.
Maya remained calm.
"We expected this," she told them.
Her chief financial officer, Samuel Reed, stared at her.
"You expected three lawsuits?"
"Not three."
"Then what did you expect?"
"Five."
Samuel blinked.
"Five?"
Maya smiled.
"Victor is becoming impatient."
"You know it's him?"
"Yes."
"Can we prove it?"
"Not yet."
"Then what are we doing?"
Maya opened a file.
"We're waiting."
Samuel sighed.
"You've been saying that for months."
"Because people make mistakes when they're impatient."
Samuel looked at her.
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then we'll make him."
Meanwhile, Sterling National's internal investigation had begun.