Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT SHE HAD WON
Chloe called me on a Thursday afternoon.
I almost didn't answer.
Then I remembered how much she'd enjoyed watching Marcus humiliate me at Olivia's wedding.
I wanted to know what had changed.
"Evelyn?"
"What do you want, Chloe?"
She hesitated.
"I need to talk to you about Marcus."
"Then contact Rebecca."
"I already did. She told me you would have to agree to any personal conversation."
I looked toward my office window.
"Why would I agree?"
"Because Marcus is trying to make me responsible for everything."
I said nothing.
Chloe continued.
"He told his attorneys that Hart Advisory Group operated independently and that he relied on the invoices my company submitted."
"And did it?"
"Not completely."
For the first time, her voice lacked its usual confidence.
She admitted that Hart Advisory Group had received substantial payments under agreements approved by Marcus and Leonard.
She claimed some of the consulting work was legitimate.
But she also acknowledged that certain invoices had been issued without adequate supporting work.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because Marcus is going to say I manipulated him."
I almost laughed.
"You were both involved."
Chloe went quiet.
Then she said:
"I know."
That surprised me.
It wasn't a complete admission of wrongdoing, but it was the first time I'd heard Chloe acknowledge responsibility for anything.
I told her to communicate through her attorney and cooperate with the investigators.
Before ending the call, she asked one final question.
"Do you hate me?"
I thought about it.
Five years earlier, I might have said yes without hesitation.
Now I was married to Julian, raising Emma, and building a life that had nothing to do with Chloe.
"I don't organize my life around you anymore," I answered.
Then I ended the call.
Several days later, Chloe's attorney contacted the authorities and offered documents relating to Hart Advisory Group's transactions.
The materials included bank statements, invoices, and correspondence between Chloe, Marcus, and Leonard.
They also included a series of messages discussing my departure from Mercer Financial Systems.
One message from Leonard said:
If Evelyn continues reviewing the vendor accounts, the board will have to respond. Marcus needs to resolve the situation before the next audit.
Marcus replied:
I'll handle Evelyn.
The message was dated two days before I found Chloe in our kitchen.
I stared at it.
Rebecca cautioned me against assuming the email established every detail of Marcus's intentions.
She was right.
But it confirmed something I'd suspected for years.
Marcus had been under pressure to remove me from the company's compliance process.
And instead of addressing the questionable transactions, he'd chosen to push me out of his professional and personal life.
Then Chloe produced another document.
A private investment agreement.
It showed that Leonard Mercer had acquired a substantial undisclosed economic interest in Hart Advisory Group through an intermediary.
My stomach tightened.
Marcus had believed his father was helping him protect the company.
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But Leonard had also positioned himself to benefit from payments flowing to Chloe's business.
And suddenly the financial scheme looked much larger than the affair that had destroyed my marriage.
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