Chapter 3 - Genevieve’s Call
Genevieve called me at 11:43 that night.
I was sitting in the small apartment Victoria had arranged for Ethan and me while the court order was processed. It was not glamorous.
But it was quiet.
There were no marble floors.
No staff walking carefully around Arthur’s moods.
No rooms filled with expensive objects that belonged to him because he needed everyone to know what he owned.
Just a modest living room, warm lamps, and Ethan asleep in the next room.
My phone lit up with an unknown number.
I knew who it was before I answered.
“Teresa.”
Genevieve’s voice was shaking.
“You need to tell them I didn’t know.”
I leaned back in the chair.
“Didn’t know what?”
“That Arthur was moving money.”
“You knew about the apartment.”
She went silent.
“You knew about the jewelry.”
“I thought he was buying it himself.”
“You knew he was married.”
“That is different.”
“No,” I said. “It is not.”
Genevieve took a sharp breath.
“He told me you were separating.”
“He told you what you needed to hear.”
“He said you didn’t care about him.”
“He said the same thing about you.”
The silence that followed was almost painful.
I knew exactly what she was realizing.
Arthur did not love her.
Not in the way she believed.
He loved being admired.
He loved control.
He loved the version of himself reflected in someone else’s eyes.
“You need to help me,” she whispered.
“I already helped you.”
“What does that mean?”
“I gave investigators the records they need. If you want to help yourself, tell the truth.”
Then I ended the call.
I did not feel victorious.
I felt tired.
For so long, I believed catching Arthur would bring relief.
But the truth was heavier than I expected.
Betrayal did not disappear because it was exposed.
May you like
It simply stopped hiding.
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