AMBER ATTACKS DAVE BEFORE POLICE ARRIVE — WAYNE EXPOSES HIS BUSINESS BETRAYAL!
Amber stood in the living room, staring at the expensive gift box sitting on the table. Inside was a set of house keys, accompanied by a note that made her stomach tighten. Dave had used money from his business partnership with Wayne to buy Evie a house, while Wayne had been working tirelessly to build their company. Amber could hardly believe that Dave had gone so far behind his business partner’s back.
She picked up her phone and called Wayne, unaware that the truth he was about to reveal would push her anger to its breaking point.
AMBER: Wayne, where are you? I need to talk to you about something important.
WAYNE: I’m on my way home. What happened? You sound upset.
AMBER: It’s about Dave. Tell me the truth. Did you know he bought Evie a house?
There was a long silence on the other end of the call.
WAYNE: What did you just say?
AMBER: I said Dave bought Evie a house. I want to know where he got the money.
WAYNE: Amber, don’t touch anything. I’m coming over right now. There’s something you need to know about our partnership.
When Wayne arrived, he looked exhausted and furious. He placed a thick folder on the table and opened it in front of Amber. The documents showed transactions that had never been approved by him. Money belonging to their business had been transferred, and Wayne’s shares had been sold without his permission.
Amber slowly looked up at him.
AMBER: No. This cannot be right. Dave wouldn’t do this to you. You trusted him.
WAYNE: I trusted him with my business, my money, and years of hard work. We built that company together, Amber. Every dollar we earned was supposed to be accounted for. But he made decisions without me, transferred money, and sold shares that he had no right to sell.
AMBER: And he used that money to buy Evie a house?
WAYNE: That’s what these records suggest. I discovered suspicious transactions earlier today. When I questioned him, he avoided giving me straight answers. Then I found out that part of my ownership had been sold without my consent.
Amber covered her mouth, struggling to process what she had heard.
AMBER: He looked me in the eyes and told me everything was fine. He sat at our table, laughed with us, and acted like he was someone we could trust. All this time, he was betraying you?
WAYNE: I never thought he would go this far. I have already contacted my lawyer, and we’re preparing to take legal action. I want every transaction investigated.
Amber’s expression changed. Her sadness gave way to anger.
AMBER: I’m going to ask him one question. Just one. I want to hear him explain how he could betray everyone who trusted him.
WAYNE: Amber, please. Let the lawyer handle this. Don’t let your anger make the situation worse.
AMBER: You lost your shares because of him, Wayne. He took money that belonged to your business and gave someone else a house. How am I supposed to sit quietly and pretend nothing happened?
Before Wayne could answer, the front door opened.
Dave walked inside, carrying his car keys and wearing the same confident smile he always wore. He stopped when he saw the documents spread across the table.
His smile disappeared.
DAVE: What’s going on here?
Amber rose from her chair.
AMBER: You tell us, Dave. What’s going on? How long have you been stealing from your own business partnership?
DAVE: Watch your words, Amber. You don’t understand what you’re talking about.
WAYNE: Then explain these transactions. Explain why my shares were sold without my authorization. And explain why business money was used to purchase Evie’s house.
Dave glanced at the folder, then quickly looked away.
DAVE: It’s not what you think. The business was doing fine, and I made a few decisions to protect our interests.
WAYNE: Protect whose interests? Mine? Because I certainly didn’t agree to sell my shares.
DAVE: I was going to explain everything when the time was right.
AMBER: When the time was right? After you spent all the money? After you gave Evie a house and left Wayne to discover that his own partner had betrayed him?
DAVE: This is a business matter. You need to stay out of it.
Amber laughed bitterly.
AMBER: A business matter? You made it everyone’s problem when you decided that your partner’s money was yours to spend. Wayne trusted you, and you repaid him by taking advantage of him.
Dave turned toward Wayne, attempting to regain control of the conversation.
DAVE: Listen to me. We have been partners for years. You know how business works. Sometimes you have to make difficult decisions.
WAYNE: Difficult decisions don’t include secretly selling your partner’s shares. You could have asked me. You could have told me what you were planning. Instead, you hid everything and expected me never to find out.
DAVE: You don’t know the full story!
WAYNE: Then tell it!
Dave opened his mouth, but no explanation came. His eyes moved between Wayne and Amber as he realized that neither of them was willing to accept another excuse.
Amber stepped closer, her voice trembling with frustration.
AMBER: You deceived Wayne, and you deceived me. I defended you when people questioned your decisions. I believed you were a decent person. Now I feel foolish for trusting you.
DAVE: Amber, don’t make this personal.
AMBER: You made it personal when you looked me in the face and lied.
Wayne picked up his phone.
WAYNE: My lawyer has the documents. The police have also been contacted. You’ll have to explain the transactions to the proper authorities.
Dave’s face went pale.
DAVE: You called the police on me?
WAYNE: You left me no choice. If the transactions were legitimate, you should have no problem explaining them.
DAVE: Wayne, think carefully about what you’re doing. If you take this further, our partnership is finished.
WAYNE: You finished our partnership when you betrayed me.
Amber suddenly grabbed the folder and threw it onto the table in front of Dave.
AMBER: Look at it! Look at what you’ve done! Wayne worked for everything he had, and you treated his trust like it meant nothing!
Dave tried to walk past her toward the hallway, but Amber moved in front of him.
DAVE: Move out of my way.
AMBER: Not until you answer me. Did you use their money to buy Evie that house?
DAVE: I said I’ll handle it!
AMBER: That’s not an answer!
Dave reached for the folder, but Amber snatched it away. In the heat of the confrontation, she shoved his shoulder. Dave stumbled backward, catching himself against the edge of a chair.
Wayne immediately stepped between them.
WAYNE: Amber! Stop! Don’t let him turn this against you!
But Amber was too overwhelmed by the betrayal to listen. She pushed past Wayne and struck Dave as he tried to move away. Dave raised his arms defensively, shouting for her to stop.
DAVE: Have you lost your mind? Get away from me!
AMBER: You deserve to answer for what you’ve done!
She lunged toward him again, and Wayne caught her arm before she could strike him a second time.
WAYNE: Amber, look at me! He’s not worth you getting into trouble. Let the law deal with him!
Amber struggled to free herself, tears filling her eyes.
AMBER: He fooled us, Wayne! He stood beside you and called himself your partner while secretly destroying everything you built!
WAYNE: I know! I know what he did. But you have to stop!
Dave straightened his jacket, breathing heavily. His earlier confidence had vanished, replaced by a mixture of anger and fear.
DAVE: You’ll both regret this. You think you can destroy me over a few documents?
WAYNE: Those documents are evidence of what happened. You can explain yourself when the investigation begins.
Suddenly, the sound of police sirens grew louder outside.
Dave turned toward the window.
Amber saw his face change and stepped forward again, but Wayne held her back.
WAYNE: It’s over, Dave. The police are here.
A hard knock shook the front door.
POLICE OFFICER: Police! Open the door!
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Dave slowly reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone. He stared at the screen before looking directly at Wayne.
DAVE: Before you let them in, you need to understand something. If they take me away without hearing what I know, you’re going to lose a lot more than your shares.
Wayne’s expression hardened.
WAYNE: What are you talking about?
Dave glanced at Amber, then back at Wayne.
DAVE: The money you think I stole isn’t the only problem. There are documents with your signature on them, Wayne. And when the police see those papers, they’re going to ask why you approved the very transactions you’re accusing me of making.
Wayne froze.
WAYNE: That’s impossible. I never signed anything like that.
Dave raised his phone, his voice dropping to a whisper.
DAVE: Then you’d better hope you can prove it.
The police knocked again, louder this time. Amber stared at Wayne as the color drained from his face. A second later, the front door began to open—and Dave slipped his phone into his pocket, wearing a faint smile that neither of them had noticed before.
TO BE CONTINUED…