The next morning, Victor came to my house.
Arthur joined him by video call.
Edward arrived an hour later.
For the first time in years, all three of my brothers were sitting in my living room.
Victor placed a thick folder on the table.
“We found something.”
I opened it.
Inside were years of financial records.
My husband had been moving company money through several consulting firms.
Those firms were connected to Chloe.
I looked up.
“She was involved?”
Victor nodded.
“She wasn’t just his secretary.”
Edward continued.
“She helped him create the shell companies.”
Arthur’s expression was grim.
“And there’s more.”
He showed me another document.
A transfer of company funds.
Then another.
And another.
Millions had been moved.
I felt sick.
“Why?”
Victor answered.
“Dominic was planning to force you out.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“He knew your family had influence over the company.”
“He didn’t know.”
“He suspected.”
Victor slid another document toward me.
“He planned to divorce you, claim you had no involvement in the business, and then bring his other family into the company.”
My hands trembled.
“His other family?”
Edward nodded.
“The woman you saw is named Rebecca.”
“And the boy?”
“His son.”
I closed my eyes.
So that’s why Chloe had said:
His wife and son are already waiting upstairs.
She hadn’t been mistaken.
She had been deliberately cruel.
She wanted me to know.
Part 7 — Chloe’s Mistake
Two days later, Chloe came to my house.
She was no longer smiling.
She stood at my front door with tears in her eyes.
“Vivienne, please.”
I didn’t invite her inside.
“What do you want?”
“I want to apologize.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
I said nothing.
She lowered her voice.
“Dominic told me you were just a housewife.”
I stared at her.
“He said your family had nothing to do with the company.”
“And you believed him?”
“Yes.”
She looked down.
“I was stupid.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You weren’t stupid.”
She looked up.
“You were arrogant.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“You’re right.”
I stepped back.
“You humiliated my daughter.”
“I know.”
“You made her believe her father didn’t want her there.”
“I know.”
“You deliberately told me another woman was his wife.”
Chloe covered her face.
“I was trying to help him.”
“No.”
My voice was quiet.
“You were helping yourself.”
She didn’t respond.
Then she handed me an envelope.
“What is this?”
“Evidence.”
I opened it.
Inside were messages between Chloe and Dominic.
There were hundreds.
Some were romantic.
Others were about money.
But one message stopped me completely.
It was from Dominic.
“Once Vivienne is out, everything will belong to us.”
I folded the paper.
“Thank you.”
She looked surprised.
“You’re not going to press charges?”
I looked at her.
“That isn’t my decision.”
And I closed the door.
Part 8 — The Fall
See more on the next page
