Chapter 5 - Renee’s Exit
Renee Dalton left Salem when the audit became public.
At first, she stood beside him.
She gave statements saying the payments to her consulting business were legitimate. She told friends the Bennetts were being attacked by a bitter wife who wanted to control Salem through inherited wealth.
But when the board subpoenaed her records, Renee panicked.
She arrived at Salem’s temporary apartment wearing sunglasses and carrying a suitcase.
“You need to protect me,” she said.
Salem looked up from the financial documents covering his table.
“Protect you?”
“They are investigating my accounts.”
“Because you took money.”
“You gave it to me.”
“I gave you money because you said you were helping the company.”
Renee laughed bitterly.
“You knew exactly why you were giving it to me.”
Salem went silent.
She stepped closer.
“You told me Afra would never leave. You said she was too dependent, too soft, too grateful.”
His face tightened.
“Do not say her name.”
“Why? Because now you know she owns more than you?”
The truth burned.
Renee’s expression shifted from fear to anger.
“You did not choose me because you loved me. You chose me because I made you feel admired.”
Salem stared at her.
“And you chose me because I had money.”
“Yes,” Renee said. “At least I was honest with myself.”
Then she left.
Within days, Renee agreed to cooperate with the audit in exchange for reduced liability.
Her messages, invoices, and private correspondence exposed Salem’s misuse of company resources.
The scandal became public.
BENNETT DEVELOPMENT CEO FACES FRAUD REVIEW.
MISTRESS LINKED TO FALSE CONSULTING PAYMENTS.
WIFE’S $10B TRUST SEEKS INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT.
Salem hated the headlines.
But the one that hurt most was not about money.
It was a photograph of Afra leaving a pediatric clinic with Nia wrapped against her chest.
The headline read:
BENNETT’S WIFE RAISES NEWBORN AFTER MIDNIGHT EVICTION.
The comments beneath it were brutal.
People called Salem cruel.
Delia called the press coverage unfair.
May you like
Afra said nothing.
And her silence became stronger than any statement.
