Eloise's pov
It's four years since I heard last from Victor. I never contacted him, I didn't have the balls to after what I did to him. I have moved on, Victor was my college love. He didn't contact me too, that was more heartbreaking.
I am engaged now to my fiance, Sam.I met Sam at a club when I was in college, coincidentally he was an editor at Hills magazine. I didn't know about this till I started working at Hills magazine. How we met in the company is vivid in my head.
FLASHBACK
I was nervous as I entered Hills Magazine's office. I felt like throwing up, I was a little dizzy, and I was feeling sick. I had been offered a permanent position. My column got the highest positive reviews on Hills magazine's website. I was to start work today.
I asked for directions to the head editor's office from the security personnel by the entrance. The look on the security personnel's faces worsen my condition but when I entered the main office, the air conditioner calmed me down a little.
I made my way to the head editor's office and I knocked on the door, the loud music playing from the office didn't alone him hear me. I entered the office and I saw a man in his late forties, making out with someone. I excused myself and I waited outside the office. His office was the only one on the upper floor, so he had the liberty to do rated stuff.
A man walked up to me, he came out of the elevator but he seemed like he knew he was around here, it is obvious he is a member of staff here.
"You," He said to me and I recognized him immediately.
"Sam? Am I right?" I was surprised.
"Yes, Eloise,"
"I am surprised you remembered me,"
"No one can forget a beautiful that leans to kiss you in the middle of a club and she dozes off in the act," He laughed.
"I am still embarrassed about that," I joined him in laughing.
"You owe me a kiss, you know that right?" He wiggled his eyebrows. We both laughed. "Seb is in, isn't he?"
"I think he is busy,"
"He is fooling around with mandy again,"
"She works here? I thought she was his wife or something,"
"She is not his wife. Seb is not married. Mandy is the office receptionist," When he said that, I understood why the receptionist's desk was empty. "She is the infamous mandykiss of Hills magazine.
"This is a wild place," I commented.
"It sure is. I suppose you are the ace of our temporary writers he mentioned to me. Welcome, you are on my team."
"I am starting to feel we are connected," I quipped.
"We sure are, let's get to work." I stood up from where I sat and I followed him
***
"Good morning El," Leslie entered my office with a cup of coffee in her hand.
"Good morning Les, How is Anderson?"
"He is fine, he sent his regards to you. I have good news and bad news, which should come first?"
"The good one,"
"The Hart group wants to advertise their franchises, we got select to prepare a proposal,"
"Nice, handle that yourself, ask Anderson to cut us some slack," She blushed. "The next news ma'am,"
"I think there is something wrong with our sales," Leslie said to me and she dropped a cup of coffee on my table.
Leslie is one of the girls I met on David's trip. Of all of us that went on that trip only David, Victoria and Leslie kept in touch with him. When Leslie graduated from college, I employed her to work with me. She was with through the growth of Silverberg magazine. She is now the head editor.
"What do you mean something is wrong with our sales?" I asked her.
"An external auditor came in this morning to investigate financial statements for errors and fraud,"
"Where is Sam? Have you told him about this?" I panicked.
"He didn't come in today."
"Fill me in on what the Auditor said,"
"He got a report from a whistleblower that we have been suppressing our recepts and recording less amount than the actual amount of receipt to reduce the taxes we pay. He also said we submitted a different record to the bank, it had a record of fictitious payments so we could take out the huge sum of loan."
"Loan?" When she told me had bad news for me, I never expected something this rash. Sam is in charge of the finances, why would he manipulate them?
"This is where you need to check on Sam, Eloise. It was a government auditor that came in this morning. Prosecutors will come after this," I picked up my phone to call Sam, I dialed his line a couple of times but he didn't pick up. I went up to his office to check up on him and I saw his phone on his table. He didn't come home last night, I thought he spent the night at the office because that is where stays when he is working late.
I had started my own magazine alongside Sam. We both quit Hills magazine a year after I got there. He decided to work with me, and from there we fell in love and got engaged. I checked with the bank to know what was going on, and I was told, that all my deposits had been withdrawn by another person that had access to my account.
I feel like I am a laughing stock. I fell in love with a con artist. My life is in jeopardy. I thought of the shareholders, the writers, and the other members of staff. I can't run to my dad for help. I zoned out on the floor where I sat. I have heard of misfortunes but this is nothing compared to it. Leslie came into Sam's office to inform me that the prosecutors were here to take me.
"I want to proceed with the proposal with Harts' group. I can see that word has not gotten out about this. I will manage to control the situation, don't involve my dad in this Les,"
"Okay Eloise," She hugged me and tears rolled down my eyes. I disengaged with her and I followed the prosecutors.
At the prosecutor's office
"Thank you for cooperating with us ma'am. I will read out your offenses now." The prosecutor in charge of my case said. "At first our Auditor thought it was just clerical errors but the alterations in the records we founds were deliberate. We are charging you for misappropriation of cash and goods, falsification of account, window dressing, and secret reserves," He paused and gazed at me. "Do you admit to these charges?"
"I would like a public defender," I managed to say without crying out.