THE LAST FILE · EPISODE 22

The Invoice That Changed Everything

A supplier's new bank details arrived the night before the payment run. The next afternoon, Alex's photo appeared on a new number asking for a UPI payment.

10:06 AM. Friday.

Neha Iyer had read the email three times.

Everything about it was right. The invoice number matched last month's brochure job. The amount matched to the last digit. The signature belonged to the supplier's accounts contact, whose emails Neha had answered every month for two years. The new bank details came as a PDF on the supplier's letterhead.

The only new thing was the bank account. And banks did change. Hadn't the supplier mentioned some kind of reorganization a while ago?

The payment run was due by noon.

Alex Morgan passed her desk with his coffee and glanced at the open invoice.

“They've been patient with us,” he said. “Just pay it.”

Neha's cursor was already in the field where the account number went.

She didn't type. Something small was bothering her, and it took her a moment to work out what it was.