Chapter 470 Problem In The Accounts

Christina’s face darkened instantly. “I’ll take care of it, Grandma.”

Azure nodded in understanding and refrained from causing any further difficulties for her.

Christina shot up from her seat and said, “I’m full, Grandma. I’m heading upstairs now.”

She turned around and glared at Anya before making her way up.

Upon returning to her room, Christina eagerly opened her laptop to search for Anya’s financial statements. However, to her surprise, she discovered that all the statements had been covertly altered, leaving almost no trace of any discrepancies to be found.

She knew something was amiss with the figures, but there was nothing she could do.

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a text from Sheridan, extending an invitation to have lunch together tomorrow.

Didn’t Sheridan exchange numbers with me to appease the elders? Why is he asking me out now? Oh, wait. Isn’t he good at accounting? Maybe he’ll be able to help.

Without hesitation, Christina agreed to his invitation. She believed that developing a closer relationship with him might provide her with an opportunity to seek his assistance.

After replying to the text, Christina took a shower and rested for the night.

The next day at noon, they met at a café.

Sunlight streamed through the window as Sheridan sat in his chair, dressed in a sleek suit and a deep blue striped tie, exuding an elegant and modest charm.

When Christina approached, he greeted her with a gentle smile and asked, “What would you like to drink? This café serves excellent coffee.”

Christina ordered a latte, and as they engaged in casual conversation, she finally brought up the question. “Sheridan, how does your company charge if your client wants to conduct financial investigations?”

“It depends on the circumstances and the client’s needs. Are you in need of such services?” Sheridan’s gaze deepened as he responded with another question.

Logically speaking, Gibson Corporation should have a well–established accounting team and would not easily grant outsiders access to examine the company’s accounts.

Christina looked solemn as she spoke. “I need a favor from you, but you must keep it a secret. Can you?”

Sheridan met her gaze and reassured her, “As a professional accountant committed to upholding confidentiality, I’ll certainly help if you trust me.”

“That’s great. Can I meet you after work then?” Christina’s eagerness to uncover all the evidence of Anya’s embezzlement was palpable.

Sheridan nodded in agreement. “All right.”

As the evening approached, Christina diligently copied the necessary accounting documents onto an encrypted flash drive.

Suddenly, Sheridan called. “Christina, have you taken your dinner?”

“Nope. I plan to meet you first,” Christina said while packing her things.

“All right. I’ll wait for you,” Sheridan replied.

After hanging up the phone, Christina, who was about to leave, bumped into Anya. With a dark expression on her face, Anya questioned, “Christina, why didn’t you reimburse my travel expenses?”

“You only went on a short business trip to the neighboring city, and it was supposed to be a one–day trip. But you stayed for three days and had an extravagant meal that cost tens of thousands. You’ve worked in Gibson Corporation for so many years, so don’t tell me you don’t know the company’s policies.”

The finance department needed Christina to approve the reimbursement.

Anya’s face grew even darker, almost turning purple. “My business negotiations require a great deal of effort. You wouldn’t understand the lengths I have to go to secure those deals. How dare you reject my claim application?”

Confronting her aggressive stance, Christina did not back down. “As a seasoned employee in a leadership role, if you are unable to grasp such fundamental boundaries, perhaps it’s time for me to consider finding a replacement for your position.”

With that, she grabbed her briefcase and walked out.

Anya glared at her retreating figure, her eyes filled with an intense desire to pierce her body with a bullet.

Twenty minutes later, Christina arrived at Sheridan’s office with a folder. A colleague of his from the finance department was also present.

Christina handed the documents to Sheridan. “I want to investigate these billing issues to see if any money has been misappropriated.”

“With such a substantial amount of information, it’ll take a considerable amount of time to investigate thoroughly, but we can start by examining a portion of it to get an initial understanding of the problem,” Sheridan replied.

He handed a portion of the documents to his colleague and said, “Take a look at these accounts and see if you notice any discrepancies.”

“Please give me a moment.” The colleague took the documents and sat down at the desk, carefully reviewing them.

To the untrained eye, the data appeared to be in order, but in the hands of an experienced accountant, it could reveal hidden patterns and irregularities.

“Christina, let’s go and sit over there,” Sheridan suggested.

“All right.”

In the conference room, a spread of pastries and refreshments was arranged. Sheridan explained, “I prepared some light refreshments since I reckon you hadn’t had dinner. I hope you’re okay with this.” “Yeah, of course. Thanks for being so considerate,” Christina responded with a grin.

Sheridan’s gentle and considerate demeanor was a breath of fresh air for Christina. She had never encountered someone so refined and courteous and could effortlessly make her feel comfortable in any situation.

As they settled into their seats, Sheridan offered her a cup of tea. “Give this roselle tea a try. It’s caffeine- free so it won’t disrupt your sleep.”

“Thanks.” Christina took a sip and was delighted by the pleasant taste.

She savored the pastries and enjoyed the tea, a sense of contentment washing over her.

Engaging in conversation, time flew by, and soon the colleague finished organizing the accounts. He circled the entries that raised concerns and said, “These are the ones with issues, and some entries involve significant sums of money.”

Christina’s senses sharpened as she carefully scrutinized the highlighted entries. Despite spending countless nights on them, she could not identify the discrepancies. “It seems I really need assistance from the professionals.”

After putting all the documents aside, Sheridan turned to his colleague. “You should go home now. We’ll look into them again tomorrow.”

“All right. I’ll make a move first then, Mr. Stone.” The man turned around and left.

With only two people left in the office, Sheridan’s expression turned more serious. “Make a copy of the documents and leave a copy for me. Once all the data is organized, I’ll pass everything to you.”

“All right. Sorry to trouble you.” Christina had already made a copy of the documents for storage and handed him the files that needed processing.

She knew it would not take long for her to gather all the incriminating evidence against Anya.

“If I would have the honor to treat you to dinner, then it’d be no trouble at all,” Sheridan quipped, his earlier seriousness completely dissipated.

Christina found him to be incredibly versatile, going with the flow effortlessly. He seamlessly transitioned from a state of unwavering seriousness during work to effortlessly displaying a lighthearted sense of humor in leisurely settings.

“No problem. Let’s go then.” The two of them left the building and drove to a restaurant.

The air was permeated with the enchanting aroma of red wine, while soft candlelight and vibrant flowers adorned the surroundings, creating an ambiance infused with romance and charm.

It was late when they had finished their dinner, so Sheridan drove Christina back to the Gibson residence.

As the car came to a stop, Sheridan leaned over to help Christina unfasten her seatbelt. The woodsy scent emanating from him made Christina’s cheeks instantly flush. “It’s okay. I can do it myself.”

In a flurry, Christina quickly unbuckled the seatbelt, cautious of maintaining a distance between them.

“Thank you for the ride. Rest well and goodnight.”

With that, she opened the car door and swiftly made her way into the house.