Everett's father grew ill during that stretch of years. A slow decline that took nearly eighteen months. Everett spent long stretches at the hospital, distracted, exhausted. Paige stepped in without being asked. She managed his calendar. She managed his passwords, just to keep the business running. He never thought to take that access back once his father passed. It felt petty, at the time, to worry about login credentials while grieving. That single oversight would cost him more than he could have imagined.
Paige Winslow joined the company that same year. She was hired as operations manager. She was sharp. Always early. Always one step ahead of every deadline. Everett trusted her instantly. The way you trust anyone who makes your life easier. Naomi trusted her too, at first.
It was Naomi who noticed something off first. Nearly eight years into the marriage. Small discrepancies in vendor invoices. Numbers that didn't quite add up. She mentioned it to Everett once, carefully, at dinner. "Paige probably just made a mistake," he said. "She's overworked." Naomi let it go. She shouldn't have.
