Chapter 85

Dante's POV
With the steps now being answered, I felt the morale within the team recover. We were all united and supportive, realizing that this challenge was not something we should face alone.
“We also need to be transparent with our stakeholders,” I continued. “Explaining the situation honestly will help us regain trust. They need to know that we are committed to fixing this.”
After some discussion and brainstorming, we began to formulate a detailed action plan. We prepared a timeline for the audit, listed the documents that needed to be investigated, and compiled a list of questions to ask legal authorities.
With the support of my solid team members, I felt a new hope. Maybe, even though this journey is tough, we can take this company in a better direction.
When the discussion session ended, I felt calmer and more optimistic. I knew that these steps were the first of many steps we had to take to overcome this crisis. We are a team that can depend on each other, and together, we will fight to restore everything that is precious to the company and my family.
With renewed vigor, I am determined to face every challenge that is faced and restore integrity, while regaining the trust of everyone involved. As a leader, I will commit to taking all the right actions for a better future for the company.
That night, although tired, I felt a sense of hope growing among us. With everyone's cooperation, sincerity to discuss, and support from Aurora and the children, I am sure we can find a way out of this situation.
With full determination, I am ready to face this challenge, fight for the future of the company and ensure that everyone in it can return to work with peace of mind. I was determined to fight not only for myself, but for all the families who depended on this company.
The night went on, and even though I was in the office with my colleagues, my mind remained unsettled. All the details of this difficult situation kept spinning in my mind. With the work piling up and the pressure of solving the company’s problems, I felt as if there was no room for rest.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated and it was a message from Aurora. “Did you sleep tonight, Dante?” she asked. I felt warm seeing her concern and care, but on the other hand, my heart felt heavy because I had to lie.
With precision, I replied, “Yes, I did. Don’t worry, honey.” In my heart, I hoped she didn’t sense that I was under a lot of pressure.
As I waited for her reply, I hoped that she would understand the difficult situation I was in. Aurora was the one who could feel it the most; we had shared a lot over the years, and I wanted to stay strong in front of her.
I stared at my phone screen, and even though I said I was fine, all the thoughts and stress were bothering me. I tried to calm my mind by focusing on the work at hand. But deep down, I felt guilty for lying to him.
“You must be tired, Dante. Take a break if you need to,” she wrote back in a loving tone. It was a reminder that in difficult times, the support and love of family remains a powerful force.
After reading the message, I began to hesitate to lie further. “Sorry, honey. Actually, I have to work overtime here. There are some issues to think about,” I wrote back, trying to be more honest.
It turned out that honesty was more important at this time. I wanted him to know that even though I was trying to keep everything together, I also needed his support. Aurora’s reply came quickly, “I understand, Dante. I’m here if you need anything. Remember to stay healthy.”
Having her support provided a little peace amidst all the tension. I knew it wasn’t easy to carry this burden alone, and having caring people around me made it feel a lot lighter.
“Thank you, Aurora. I’ll try to take care of myself,” I replied, feeling more optimistic. With renewed determination, I was ready to face the challenges ahead and make sure that our company would handle this situation well—for me, for Aurora, and for everyone involved.
Back at my laptop, I resumed my work with renewed vigor, determined to find a way out of this quickly. Every second counted, and I knew the right steps had to be taken to resolve this situation quickly and efficiently. With the support of Aurora and her team, I felt confident that there was no problem that we couldn’t overcome.
When the audit team finally arrived, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation filled my mind. I had already prepared the necessary data and documents, all thanks to the help of my very professional and dedicated secretary. She had worked hard to ensure that all relevant information was gathered and ready for review.
“Dante, we’re ready to go,” one of the audit team members said, nodding at me. “Please show me the documents and data you have collected.”
I led them to the meeting room and provided them with all the information we had prepared. As I explained each piece of data in detail, I could feel the teamwork. Everyone was working with focus and commitment to find a way out of the problem.
“Give us some time to examine this data. We will find out where the errors are and how to fix them,” said the head of the audit team. Despite my pent-up anxiety, confidence began to grow within me.
Throughout the audit process, I was very involved in explaining the details that might have been difficult for the audit team to understand. We often discussed the possibilities behind the suspicious transactions. Each meeting was an opportunity to dig deeper into what was really happening within our company, and these discussions opened up new perspectives on the situation we were facing.