The Way We Fall | Bruce Wayne

CHAPTER 8 - Free Agent

The next morning, Sara saw it on the television in her office building's lobby. A breaking news headline.

WAYNE ENTERPRISES FACES EMBEZZLEMENT.

She must've stood with her mouth ajar, as a receptionist spoke to her from the front desk. "I can't say I'm surprised."

Turning her head to look at the woman, Sara felt an uneasy churning in her stomach. Gotham Tech's plans with Wayne Enterprises weren't set in stone, neither were they released outside of the executive office. Surely they were now in jeopardy.

"But how could anything like that have gone unnoticed? They should've caught it early." Sara gazed back up at the screen. Embezzlement rumors spoke of nearly a billion. That type of scheme doesn't happen overnight. There would've been signs. "Have they said if they have any suspects?"

The receptionist shook her head. "They just started reporting it fifteen minutes ago."

Catastrophic damage not only would result from stolen funds, but also from the amount of investors that would retract their deals. Clients would back out. Shareholders would sell. Partnerships would be broken.

Sara took the elevator up to the executives' floor. Her heart pounded as she debated whether to call Bruce Wayne. She had to know if the situation was as bad as GCN claimed. And if so, what were they to do now? She saw the expression on Mr. Riley's face as she strode into the office. He wasn't sure either.

Sara was attempting to settle her nerves at her desk when Mr. Riley entered. "You saw, I'm sure?"

"Yeah." She swallowed. "How does that just happen overnight?"

"It doesn't." He sat himself in a chair across from her, his brows knit together. "You met with Mr. Wayne yesterday."

Sara nodded, unsure of what he was leading to.

Mr. Riley leaned forward. "He didn't say anything? No hints, no suggestions?"

"No. We spoke strictly about the drafts." No need to mention the fundraiser invitation now. It'd be canceled before anyone would ever know she was supposed to attend with Bruce Wayne himself. She briefly wondered what it would've done to her image. Gotham Tech VP the newest fling for billionaire Bruce Wayne? The more she thought of it, the more it made her sick.

"You don't believe that he would've mentioned any financial considerations?"

Bruce, admit that the company was facing financial trouble? He'd never. But what was Mr. Riley implying? "Maybe at this stage, he didn't find it necessary."

He didn't seem swayed by her answer. "Sara, you've been our vice president for two years now. You know that we couldn't move forward with a company's proposal if we didn't have the funds to do so. Wayne Enterprises wouldn't, either."

"I don't understand what you're getting at."

Mr. Riley sighed as he sat straighter in the chair. "You're no fan of Wayne. Have you stopped to consider what he's capable of?" He shook his head, more in self-frustration. "I'm sorry I ever considered their offer."

Sara was almost in disbelief to hear the words come from his mouth, of all people. The very man who pushed her into negotiation with the billionaire in the first place. "You think that he's the one responsible?"

"It's plausible. The man disappeared for years, presumably dead. Where was he all that time?" Mr. Riley ran a hand over his face. "I was too desperate to care before. But what if we had gotten involved with them before this? We'd be ruined."

It was true that she reviled the man, but to think he'd embezzle from his own company? The "Prince of Gotham" already had more money than he knew what to do with. He did leave their meeting rather abruptly, but who wouldn't after hearing of such a scandal? The whole matter wasn't making any sense. But, assuming that she couldn't put anything past him, she needed to know answers.