Chapter 9 - The Invoice No One Was Meant to Read
Bella met Priya the next morning and produced the invoice voluntarily. It described a "Founders Circle Residency Placement" at thirty thousand dollars, payable to North Quay Strategies.
Not Hudson Colors. Not the arts foundation. A private consulting company.
Priya checked corporate filings. North Quay belonged to a holding company managed by Martin's brother-in-law.
"It might be a legitimate event vendor," she said. "We need bank records before drawing conclusions."
"Then why would a vendor sell an artist a guaranteed placement?" Jada asked.
"That's a question they must answer."
Bella looked at the invoice with wet eyes. "I thought my work finally mattered. Now I don't know if I earned any of it."
"Your work still matters," Jada told her. "But nobody should have sold you another person's seat."
At the foundation office, Claire called Bella six times. Bella ignored the calls and forwarded the messages to Priya.
One read: Remember the confidentiality clause. You could lose the entire opportunity.
Eleanor convened a special meeting with the two remaining independent trustees. Martin attempted to delay, saying donor commitments would vanish if the family started an investigation.
"Let them vanish," Eleanor replied. "The alternative is turning a charity into a marketplace for favors."
The trustees voted to commission an independent audit and suspend all transfers involving the barns. Martin challenged the vote as invalid, then ended the video call.
Theo came running from the hallway with an envelope left at reception. Inside was a copy of a property purchase option. The buyer was a development firm called Riverton Landing LLC. The seller was listed as Ashe Charitable Trust.
At the bottom stood one condition: Closing automatic upon expiration of the eight-week residency license.
May you like
But the residency had not even begun.
