A Business Tycoon For Forty Years, I Misjudged My Wronged Granddaughter Chapter 05

A Business Tycoon For Forty Years, I Misjudged My Wronged Granddaughter Chapter 05

Sienna kept her head down, her spoon still in the bowl.

[She’s going to audit the accounts?]

[Is she going to look at everything and still call me a liar?]

[Wait. Why is she suddenly doing this?]

I didn’t explain.

Half an hour later, headlights swept across the courtyard.

Grant arrived with thick stacks of documents. Attorney Shaw followed.

The projector flickered on.

The first summary spreadsheet filled the wall.

Grant’s voice was steady, but I could hear the shock underneath.

“Mrs. Kensington, Sienna Kensington’s total personal development and image expenses over the past fiscal year came to eleven million eight hundred seventy thousand dollars.”

“But the signatures aren’t hers.”

I stared at the signature line on the screen and didn’t speak for a long moment.

Julian jumped in first. “Mom, that’s standard practice.”

“She’s away at school and can’t sign for packages. My assistant receives them, and I make sure they get to

her.”

I asked, “Forward where?”

Grant flipped to the next page. “The delivery address on file is a condo down in the South District.”

I looked at Sloane. Her face shifted.

“That’s not Sienna’s school.”

Julian jumped in, his tone smooth but a little too fast. “That condo is just a temporary office of mine. Some things get sent there first.”

I smiled. “And she wore them?”

No one answered.

Sienna sat off to the side. She’d finished half her soup.

She wasn’t even looking at the accounts.

Her head stayed low, like someone who’d long accepted that no one would believe her.

But her thoughts were spiraling.

[South district condo. I don’t even know that place exists.]

[So those clothes really never reached me.]

[When the teacher called me out in front of the whole class, did any of them care?]

Grant continued.

“February. Three gowns. Total ninety–six thousand. Signed for by Julian’s assistant.”

“March. Jewelry rental and deposit, one point four million. Registered to Sienna Kensington.”

“But the photos from the event show the wearer was Mr. Cole Kensington.”

A photo appeared on the projector. Cole standing under the lights at the yacht club, a sapphire brooch pinned

to his chest.

Paid for from Sienna’s account. The beneficiary was him.

Cole’s face went pale. “The brand representative made a last–minute change.”

“Sienna wasn’t there, so I went in her place. We couldn’t let the spot go to waste.”

I asked, “Did she know?”

Cole fell silent.

Sienna let out a small laugh. Very quiet. “I didn’t know.”

Julian frowned immediately. “Sienna, don’t be petty at a time like this.”

I slammed my pen on the table. “Let her speak.”

Julian shut his mouth.

Grant pulled out another document. “Regarding signatures, many of the large confirmation forms were not signed by Sienna herself.”

Cole cut in. “She’s a minor and often uncooperative. I signed a lot of routine paperwork for her.”

Attorney Shaw looked up. “Mr. Kensington, signing for packages is one thing.”

“But educational trust disbursement confirmations, securities custody changes, and special asset use

authorizations don’t fall under what an older brother can sign for.”

Cole’s face went dark. I looked at the grandson I’d once thought so highly of. “Who told you to sign?”

Cole didn’t answer.

Julian sighed. “Mom, Cole was just looking out for his sister.”

“Every time we put papers in front of Sienna, she throws a tantrum and won’t even look at them.”

“I couldn’t handle everything alone, so I asked Cole to help.”

Sienna finally raised her head.

“When have you ever put papers in front of me?”

Julian looked at her with a gentleness that was almost cruel.

“Sienna, you can’t keep denying everything.”

“If you keep this up, you’ll only disappoint Grandma more.”

The moment he said it, I heard Sienna’s mind go quiet.

For a long time, nothing.

Then one thought surfaced.

[There it is again.]

[There it is. The second they bring up Grandma, I’m automatically the bad guy.]

[He’s always said she can’t stand difficult girls. That a granddaughter like me is worthless to her.)