Chapter 6 - THE ART OF WAR
The next morning,
my office felt like a command center.
I had hired the best forensic accountant in the state,
a woman named Clara who specialized in uncovering hidden corporate rot.
By noon,
she had already found the first cracks in Grant's empire.
"Evelyn,
your husband isn't just in debt,"
Clara said over the phone,
her voice grim.
"He's been running a classic Ponzi scheme within his investment firm."
"He's been using new clients' funds to pay off older investors,
and using your daughter's college fund was a desperate attempt to cover a sudden withdrawal request."
My stomach dropped,
but my resolve only hardened.
"How deep does it go,
Clara?"
"Deep enough to put him away for twenty years,"
she replied.
"But if the Vance merger goes through,
their capital will temporarily mask the deficit."
"He's trying to save himself by marrying into their fortune."
"Then we make sure that merger never happens,"
I said,
my fingers gripping the desk.
But I couldn't just expose him immediately,
I needed to secure my own financial safety first.
If Grant went down,
I didn't want his creditors coming after my assets,
or Lily's future.
I called Grant,
knowing he would be desperate,
panicked,
and eager to make amends.
"Evelyn,"
he answered on the first ring,
his voice sounding exhausted.
"Please tell me you've calmed down."
"I've been thinking,
Grant,"
I said,
letting a hint of exhaustion and vulnerability creep into my voice.
"For the sake of Lily,
and for the sake of our reputation,
I don't want a public scandal."
He let out a massive sigh of relief.
"Thank God,
Evelyn,
you are a sensible woman,
I promise I will return every penny to Lily's account."
"I need more than promises,
Grant,"
I replied.
"I need security."
"I want you to sign over your shares of the family estate,
and your remaining personal assets to my name,
just until this business crisis passes."
"That way,
if your creditors come looking,
our family's personal wealth is protected."
He hesitated,
I could hear his mind working,
weighing the risks.
But he was a desperate man,
and desperate men are easily blinded by the promise of safety.
"Alright,"
he agreed,
his voice eager.
"I'll have my lawyer draw up the transfer documents today."
"No,
use my lawyer,"
I insisted.
"It will look cleaner,
less suspicious."
"Anything you want,
Evelyn,"
he said,
believing he was outsmarting his gullible wife once again.
"I love you,
you know that,
right?"
I didn't answer,
I simply hung up the phone,
May you like
a cold smile spreading across my face.
He had just handed me the keys to his entire life.
