Chapter 18. Idol's Confession

Eve, the finance director of KG Entertainment, was solely responsible for the company's finances. She felt awkward when Ethan questioned her about the financial deficit, something the directors had discussed at the meeting.

"These few months, we've been focusing a lot on finding idol talents. Training them before they enter the entertainment industry requires a lot of money," Eve replied.

"Such as accommodation, clothing, choreography instructors, and so on. We allocate many company funds to those sectors," Eve continued.

"I understand what you are doing. However, I don't fully trust you until I get your written report," Ethan said.

"What report?" asked Eve.

Ethan walked closer to Eve until he was standing right before her face, "The first quarter financial report and last month's expense report."

Eve looked speechless. She turned around, walking over to her computer to see if the files were on her computer or still on her staff computer. Ethan waited, standing tall with his eyes fixed on Eve.

"Did you not print it out?" Ethan asked.

"I don't have time. I have a lot of work to do," Eve replied.

"Why don't you put your staff to work?" asked Ethan.

"You talk too much! I don't know who you are, and now you're just going to bump into me!" moaned Eve, furious as she pounded on the wooden table, much to Ethan's frustration at being disrespected.

"Eve. Do you realize who you're mad at?" asked Hannah, widening her eyes when she noticed someone yelling at Ethan.

Eve chose not to answer, busy looking for the financial report file. Ethan didn't show any reaction. He just waited until Eve showed him.

After about twenty minutes, Eve still hadn't found the file. Several times she called her staff to find the report file, but no one came to deliver it to Eve's room.

"Did you find it?" asked Ethan, curious as he walked over to the desk.

"Will you shut up?!" snapped Eve, her face flushed with tears in her eyes.

Her heart was filled with great fear, afraid that Ethan would sack her due to the non-existent report. Ethan just smiled, watching Eve's anxious face. Seeing her like that made Ethan sure something was wrong with her.

"You're brave enough to yell at me, huh?" asked Ethan, suddenly making Eve even more upset and anxious.

While Eve was looking for documents, the door suddenly opened, revealing a young man in a suit who said something unexpected. Ethan and Hannah heard clearly.

"Let's go for a drink. We still have some money left, right?" said the man, unknowingly saying so in front of Ethan and Hannah.

Eve showed her fear even more. The white woman's face paled, afraid Ethan would realize the company's expenses were being used for other things, not company activities.

"Yesterday's money?" asked Ethan, confused.

The man looked surprised, not at Ethan, but at Hannah, who was in Eve's room. Hannah told the man not to leave as he explained what he meant by yesterday's money.

"I don't... owe money. Yes, I owe Eve," she said, stammering.

"Is that true?" asked Ethan, squinting.

Eve nodded with a wide smile, trying to hide the truth. However, Ethan wasn't stupid enough to be fooled. Ethan told Hannah to stay in Eve's room until the woman showed proof of her report.

"Where are you going?" asked Hannah, curious.

"That woman said something interesting. She said a lot of the company's money went to the idols. I'm going to ask them directly," Ethan replied.

"Wait! I can find the report; just wait here," Eve pleaded, her hands visibly shaking.

"Hannah will be here checking the report. You and that man are not allowed to leave the room. Take away their phones," Ethan ordered.

The man had a tough attitude. He wanted to discover the truth of the company's expenses himself; the only way was to call the idols. Ethan left Eve's room, walking to the elevator until he reached the first floor.

The employees who were talking about Ethan were shocked to see the man's arrival. Ethan watched the employees, trying to find Sisca's whereabouts.

"Where's Sisca?" asked Ethan, one of the receptionists said that Sisca was in the receptionist's dressing room.

"Call her. I need her," ordered Ethan. The receptionist nodded obediently.

The door to the receptionist's break room and dressing room opened, and the employee entered to call Sisca. With quick steps, Sisca arrived at the lobby and met Ethan, the CEO of KG Entertainment.

"W-What do you need from me, Mr Ethan?" Sisca asked.

"Take me to the idols. Do you know where they are?" asked Ethan. Sisca nodded.

Without further ado, Sisca led Ethan to go to the back of the building, to a second-floor house occupied by the idols for their dormitory. Sisca's departure with Ethan raised many questions in the minds of the other employees, especially about their closeness.

"'Um... I wanted to apologize about yesterday, Mr Ethan. I didn't know you were the leader of this company. I'm truly sorry," Sisca said, using the moment they were alone to apologize.

"Oh, the incident yesterday, huh? You have nothing to worry about. You're doing well," Ethan replied.

"If I were working in your shoes, I would do the same thing," Ethan said.

Hearing the statement said by Ethan made Sisca's heart relieved. At least she would not be fired due to yesterday's incident. The two didn't take long to arrive at the two-floor house, where the idols practised singing.

"How many people live in this house?" Ethan asked.

"There are two idol groups, each with four members," Sisca replied.

Sisca knocked lightly on the house door, and a beautiful woman immediately opened it. She looked confused because the receptionist lady came to visit with a stranger.

"Do you need something?" she asked, smiling kindly.

"You have a guest," said Sisca, pointing Ethan out to them.

"Oh, who is he?" the woman asked.

"He's-"

"I'm one of the audit officers from Kingsley. I came to ask you something. Do you mind?" asked Ethan, now acting like an audit officer.

The idol woman nodded kindly, letting Ethan enter without Sisca. Instead of leaving, the woman waited outside as the man wanted. Ethan entered and saw a house with standard furniture, not so luxurious, but enough for a house.

Ethan also saw the idols who looked healthy and fit. They looked cheerful like nothing wrong had happened to them. Ethan sat on the sofa as he told the woman to call everyone in this place.

The two idol groups now seemed to surround Ethan, listening to the man's explanation about auditing. Those who only knew how to sing and dance were quite confused by Ethan's questions.

"Let me shorten my question. Who's money do you guys use for food and stuff?" Ethan asked.

"We teamed up and gathered the money our parents gave us because the company's money wasn't enough to support eight people," said the woman. Ethan knew her by her stage name Alice.

"Okay. How much money does the company give you for one month's food?" Ethan asked.

"About $500, but sometimes they give $300," Alice said.

Ethan was surprised. That wasn't enough money to feed eight people, especially since they lived in a big city. Also, Alice said that they sometimes had to buy it themselves instead of the employees buying it for them.

"It's like we're paying to participate in this training, even though they recruited us directly," Alice said.

"Okay, I understand. About the choreography coach, do you pay him or the company?" Ethan asked.

"Choreography? We made it ourselves. There's never been a single coach who's come to train us," said Alice.

Ethan smiled. His suspicion was correct. Eve and some people at KG Entertainment used company money for their needs. Alice's evidence recorded on Ethan's phone was enough to sack Eve and even take her to jail.

"Alright. That's all I need. I'm sure the company doesn't give you the facilities you should, right?" Ethan asked. Alice and several idols agreed with Ethan's question.

The man said goodbye to them, leaving the two-floor house alone while Sisca was still outside the idols' house.

"He's handsome, mysterious too," Alice replied, enamoured of Ethan's good looks.

"You'd better give up on that. There's no way you'll be able to get him, especially after you know his actual job," Sisca said, smiling at the curious Alice.

"He's not an auditor?"

Sisca shook her head as her eyes looked at Alice standing beside her, "He's the CEO of this company."