140: Unraveling Ties

The room was thick with tension as Emma fixed her gaze on Inga, her eyes sharp and probing. Inga, caught in the snare of her own deceit, felt her heart pounding against her chest, a silent drumbeat of her impending doom. "I... I can explain," Inga stuttered, her voice barely a whisper, her mind racing for a plausible excuse. "Explain? I'm all ears," Emma's voice was calm, almost disconcertingly so. It was the calm before the storm, and Inga knew it. "It's not what it looks like. Those transactions... they were necessary for... for operational reasons," Inga tried to muster a defense, but her words felt hollow even to her own ears. "Necessary for operational reasons?" Emma echoed, her tone laced with skepticism. "Or necessary for your personal gain?" Inga's silence was answer enough. The evidence was irrefutable, laid bare on the table between them. The numbers didn't lie, and they painted a picture of betrayal. "You've been embezzling company funds, Inga. And not just