Blackstone Code

Chapter 174:

Initially, Gap took the copies of the original ledgers home with the intention of using his spare time to modify them more reasonably.

He didn't see this as a criminal act. At that time, Listoan Group was still one of the most important companies in Sabin City. As an accountant, he knew very well the crucial symbiotic relationship between enterprises and the government.

It was even possible that the city hall would support Listoan Group in modifying their books to avoid being implicated in the EverBright Group scandal.

As for the discrepancies between the two sets of books?

That wouldn't be an issue. It would merely be seen as someone attempting to bring down the pillar industrial group of Sabin City through despicable means, causing Sabin citizens to lose their jobs and leaving tens of thousands of families without security.

Not to mention, the city hall and the mayor himself wouldn't agree to this, nor would the citizens of Sabin City. This exemplified the value and power of local protectionism.

Those companies that would never lose lawsuits on their own turf and those that would never face local legal troubles weren't above the law.

It was simply that the value of their continued existence far outweighed the value of their downfall. While their existence might harm some capitalists, it would benefit the majority of ordinary people, so they must continue to exist.

However, the situation was different now. Both the city hall and the state government were dissatisfied with the group. The original ledgers in Gap's possession, which were not a big issue initially, now became a hot potato.

Rationally, it would be more appropriate to destroy them. Without these original ledgers, even if issues were found in the group's accounts, it would take a long time to verify, leading to a prolonged investigation period.

The legal procedures involved would be so lengthy that many people would gradually forget about it. By then, the group might have already relocated, but some of their investigation applications might not even be fully approved.

Yet, a voice in Gap's mind told him he must keep these ledgers. It was a small habit for someone who frequently dealt with numbers to have a backup plan.

In case something really happened, it was always good to have a contingency.

The next day, Vera used her registered foreign bank account to open a cross-border settlement account at Prosperity Bank in Sabin City. She also opened a safe deposit box under the foreign account, using a password for authentication.

This was a common service. Currently, there was no truly international currency of substantial significance. Within large regions, there might be a relatively unified currency, but international settlements still lacked a mainstream common currency.

In cross-border trade, merchants would often entrust currency settlements to banks with foreign exchange qualifications. While many banks claimed to have such qualifications, there were still differences among them.

Vera registered a corporate account, making it easier for her to handle legal tax avoidance for herself or her clients. In the Baylor Federation, almost all registered accountants had a few such channels or accounts.

Thanks to Gap's relatively successful career and high-level contacts, Vera had also registered such an offshore account.

She then sent the ledgers Gap gave her, along with some incriminating evidence, to Prosperity Bank for safekeeping.

The conditions for opening such a safe deposit box were often unique, involving some sort of seal or mechanism, much like in films where a torn banknote was used as a key.

More commonly, however, it was a password. With the correct password, anyone could open the box.

Conversely, without the password, no one could easily open these boxes, even if everyone knew there might be something illegal inside.

Even applying for this power from the court was a long process. The bank's legal department would do its utmost to prevent the court and judges from approving these applications to ensure customer privacy, which was crucial for the bank's reputation.

After handling everything, Vera arrived at her office.

The entire finance office had expanded more than twice its original size. Beside her role as the head of the finance department, she had recruited over twenty employees.

Some worked in the office, while others were distributed among different subsidiaries, holding important positions.

As she walked in, no matter how busy people were, they would stop to greet her with a smile, giving Vera a unique sense of fulfillment. She couldn't quite describe it, but she was happy because her work and abilities were recognized.

Shortly after she sat down, she glanced at a few documents on her desk waiting for her signature. Before she could review them, her secretary knocked on the door.

Every day after Vera arrived at the office, her secretary, who was also her schoolmate, would bring her a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Alumni associations, sororities, and fraternities were prevalent throughout the Baylor Federation and were considered some of the most reliable relationships.

Before this, Vera had little contact with this junior schoolmate and didn't even know her. But when she needed a secretary, her first thought was to contact her university sorority.

They recommended this girl, and Vera accepted.

"Leave it there," she said with a smile. As she looked at the girl, whose face showed a mix of caution and admiration, her heavy heart felt a bit lighter.

The girl placed the coffee cup and saucer on the corner of the desk. Instead of leaving immediately, she conveyed that Lynch had just come by and hoped Vera could visit his office when she had time.

Lynch rarely called Vera. If he needed something, he would come over himself. Sometimes, Vera would tell him there was no need for him to make the trip.

She felt that Lynch frequently coming to her office would inevitably lead to speculation, and also thought it was unnecessary as a phone call would be more convenient.

However, what Vera didn't expect was Lynch's response, "If people always see you coming into my office, what will they think?"

"They will think that you used your pretty face to get to your current position, and even... It's unfair to you."

"But if I go to your office, they won't have such thoughts. They might just think I like you, but they won't view you with disdain."

"We all know there's a lot of unfairness in society, but we can't change it; we can only try to avoid it."

If not for being married, being much older than Lynch, and having a child, Vera might have considered Lynch.

At least he knew how to respect women and cared for her in a way Vera had never experienced. Few people in society would do that.

A young man who knew how to please people was hard not to like, though the liking was purely platonic.

Vera nodded reservedly. After the secretary left, she sipped her coffee, glanced at the documents on her desk, and then headed to Lynch's office.

They were currently renting an office from a financial company that had been disbanded for violating some regulations. This office would be auctioned off after all illegal activities were dealt with.

In the meantime, Lynch rented it.

Before long, Vera appeared in Lynch's office. Some of the women there wore strange expressions, seemingly standing in solidarity with Vera, viewing Lynch's actions as workplace harassment.

But there were also those who took Lynch's side, yet resenting him for not seeing things their way. With so many girls in the office, why would he be attracted to someone who already had a child?

Upon entering, Vera habitually closed the door and naturally sat in the chair opposite Lynch. She was relaxed, not showing the unease of a subordinate meeting a boss.

She even joked, "You didn't see the expressions on the girls' faces when I walked into this room. They must wish they were the ones coming in here instead of me."

Lynch smiled, avoiding the potentially awkward topic.

"I've already finalized the collaboration with investors from Kurland, and their funds will be coming through soon. When they do, I'll need your assistance in managing my personal finances."

Lynch had sold his shares at a mutually agreeable price, so the money would go into his personal account, not the company's.

Of course, these earnings were subject to taxation, and Vera also managed Lynch's personal financial matters.

She nodded, jotting it down, and asked casually, "Do we need to look into tax planning?"

Lynch furrowed his brow briefly before sighing, "Let's stick to standard procedures. We shouldn't aim for aggressive tax avoidance—pay what's due, but not excessively."

There were many ways to avoid taxes. The federal tax system used both proportional and quota-based methods, with the latter being more common but the former offering more maneuverability.

According to the federal tax authority, individuals like Lynch who earned over fifty thousand a month should pay no less than fifty-five percent in various taxes. But in reality, such people often paid very little.Please vote for this novel at /series/blackstone-code/There are advance chapters available nowAccess will be granted 24 hours after the donationTier 1: 7 Advance chapters Link

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