Chapter 3 - The Partnership Dinner Trap
The trap was set for a Friday evening in late October. It was the night Ethan was officially being announced as a junior partner at his prestigious law firm. To celebrate, he had booked a private dining room at the most exclusive steakhouse in the city. The guest list was small but vital: me, the firm's two senior partners, my mother, and Natalie, who had hired a nanny for the baby so she could attend the celebration of the man she thought she was about to steal.
I arrived at the restaurant wearing a stunning, fitted emerald green dress. I had spent the last three months hiding my body, but tonight, I let the slight, undeniable curve of my six-month pregnancy show just enough to confuse anyone paying close attention.
Ethan was holding court at the head of the table, flanked by the senior partners, pouring expensive champagne. My mother sat across from me, beaming with pride at her son-in-law, while Natalie sat dangerously close to Ethan, constantly touching his arm under the guise of "passing the salt."
"To Ethan," declared Richard, the firm's managing partner, raising his glass. "A brilliant legal mind, a man of absolute integrity, and our newest partner. We value honesty and family above all else at this firm, and Ethan embodies both."
"Hear, hear," my mother chimed in, glaring pointedly at me to ensure I was clapping for my husband.
Ethan smiled humbly, raising his glass. "I couldn't have done it without the support of my family. Savannah has been my rock."
Natalie took a sip of her wine, rolling her eyes just enough for Ethan to see, sharing a secret inside joke with him.
"Actually," I said, my voice cutting through the clinking crystal. I stood up slowly, picking up my expensive leather clutch. "I think this is the perfect moment for me to give Ethan his partnership gifts."
The table quieted. Ethan looked at me, a patronizing smile on his face. "You didn't have to get me anything, honey."
"Oh, I insisted," I said smoothly. I unzipped the clutch and pulled out three thick, manila envelopes.
I walked around the table and handed the first envelope to my mother. "For you, Mom. Since family supports family, I wanted to formally notify you that I have legally dissolved the trust fund that pays your monthly allowance. You'll need to figure out your own mortgage starting Monday."
My mother’s face dropped, her jaw slackening as she stared at the legal document. "Savannah, what is this?"
I didn't answer her. I turned to Natalie and dropped the second envelope onto her plate, right on top of her filet mignon. "For you, little sister. That's a formal eviction notice from your luxury apartment building, along with a lawsuit for grand larceny. It turns out the property management company doesn't take kindly to people living in their penthouses under a forged financial guarantor. You have forty-eight hours to vacate before the sheriff removes you and your baby."
Natalie gasped, her face draining of all color. She looked at Ethan in sheer panic. "Ethan, what is she talking about?!"
Richard, the senior partner, frowned heavily, his eyes darting between Ethan and the screaming women. "Ethan? What is going on here?"
I walked up to Ethan, who was now sweating profusely, his charismatic smile completely eradicated. I handed him the final, thickest envelope.
May you like
"And for the man of the hour," I smiled brightly. "Divorce papers. A forensic audit of our joint accounts proving you embezzled eighty thousand dollars to fund your mistress. And a copy of the felony wire fraud report I filed with the district attorney yesterday regarding the forged lease you signed to house the child you fathered with my sister."
The silence in the private dining room was so absolute you could hear the ice melting in the water glasses.
