Chapter 1 - The Timeline of Betrayal
The date stamped at the top of the very first highlighted transaction answered my terrifying question.
October 12th.
Eight months ago.
She had known almost since the day she told me she was pregnant. For eight months, I had kissed her forehead before leaving for the office. I had sat beside her on our custom sofa, pressing my hand to her swelling stomach to feel our son kick. I had looked her directly in the eye, kissed her cheek, and lied about where I was going.
She had known every single time.
She hadn't screamed. She hadn't thrown plates. She hadn't demanded couples counseling or begged me to stay. She had just quietly gone to work.
I dropped the photograph onto my desk and opened my laptop. My hands were sweating so badly my fingers slipped on the trackpad. I logged into our joint banking portal, expecting to see the accounts completely drained.
They weren't drained.
They were frozen.
A bright red banner spanned the top of the screen: ACCESS RESTRICTED PENDING FEDERAL AUDIT.
I grabbed my phone and dialed my wealth manager. It went straight to voicemail. I dialed my personal attorney. Voicemail. I dialed Tessa.
It rang once before sending me to an automated message stating the number had been disconnected.
A cold, heavy knot formed in my stomach. I grabbed my car keys and drove straight to my office downtown. Keaton & Vance Equity. I had built the firm from the ground up. I was the managing partner. I was the man everyone answered to.
May you like
But when I badged in at the glass doors of the lobby, the scanner flashed red.
Access Denied.
