You’re just back-office support, Clara, so you’ll stay in Chicago while the executive team flies to Rome, my boss, Julian Kincaid, told me before leaving for his sister's $1.4 million villa wedding.
The opulent ballroom of Villa Taverna shimmered under the chandeliers. Waiters moved silently among the guests, offering flutes of Prosecco. Julian, looking resplendent in a tailored tux, scanned the room, his eyes frequently darting towards my quiet corner.
Then he spotted Toby Finch. Toby, our newest junior compliance auditor, looked overwhelmed but eager in his slightly ill-fitting suit. Julian beckoned him over.
I watched as Julian leaned in, his words sharp even from a distance. Toby nodded nervously, adjusting his glasses. He then began making his way towards my table.
Toby approached me, a stack of folders clutched to his chest. His face was flushed.
“Ms. Delaney,” he stammered, offering a hesitant smile. “Mr. Kincaid asked me to confirm your digital sign-off on the European expansion collateral.”
He held out a tablet with a familiar digital signature pad. The air around us felt thick with unspoken expectation.
I smiled warmly at Toby, setting down my glass. “Of course, Toby. Thank you for tracking me down.”
I reached under my chair, pulling out a slim, innocuous-looking manila folder.
“Actually, I have some updated compliance verification sheets for you,” I told him, handing him the folder. “Routine collateral updates. Just got them from the European lenders themselves this morning.”
Toby took the folder, his brow furrowing slightly at the unexpected papers. “Oh, um, these are new?”
“Yes, just in,” I confirmed smoothly. “Critical details for the final syndication. They need to be processed through the European banking portal directly. Best to do it right away, before everything locks down for the evening.”
He nodded, clearly wanting to impress. “Right. No problem, Ms. Delaney. I’ll get these uploaded immediately.”
He tucked the folder securely under his arm, eager to complete his task. He didn’t even glance at the individual pages within.
“Excellent, Toby,” I said, offering him another reassuring smile. “You’re a lifesaver.”
As he walked away, dutifully heading for a quiet side room where he could access his encrypted laptop, I watched him. Unbeknownst to him, tucked within the “routine updates” were specific details that highlighted the missing, verified collateral for Julian’s expansion loan.
The moment Toby processed that file through the secure European banking portal, an official compliance discrepancy flag would instantly generate across the syndicate’s servers.
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