Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN IN HIS OFFICE
Ethan arrived at the penthouse before noon.
I had no idea how he found me.
Daniel did.
“Your husband employs former federal investigators,” he said calmly.
Then the elevator doors opened.
Ethan walked out wearing yesterday’s clothes.
No tie.
No coat.
His hair looked as though he had repeatedly dragged his hands through it.
He saw me.
His entire body loosened.
“Thank God.”
I stood.
“Don’t.”
His relief disappeared.
Daniel positioned himself between us.
Ethan glared at him.
“Move.”
“No.”
“This is between my wife and me.”
Daniel’s voice remained pleasant.
“Yesterday you informed your wife that it was your house.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t start.”
“You may discover ownership is a surprisingly complicated subject.”
“Daniel.”
“Ethan.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Then Ethan looked at me again.
“Come home.”
“No.”
“Vanessa left.”
That surprised me.
“Why?”
“I told her to.”
“Congratulations on accomplishing twelve hours late what your pregnant wife begged you to do.”
His face tightened.
“I screwed up.”
“Yes.”
“I said something unforgivable because I was angry.”
“You didn’t just say it. You meant it long enough to watch me pack.”
He stepped closer.
“I didn’t think you would actually leave.”
There it was.
I laughed without humor.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For admitting the real problem.”
He frowned.
“You thought I was trapped.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“It’s exactly what you meant.”
His eyes dropped to my stomach.
“Is Lily okay?”
“Don’t use her to get around me.”
Pain flickered across his face.
Good.
I wanted him to feel at least one percent of what I had felt.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He answered.
Listened.
Then looked at Ethan.
“When did you last see Vanessa?”
“Last night.”
“That’s not possible.”
Ethan went still.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel turned the phone toward us.
A security image showed Vanessa entering Mercer Development headquarters at 3:17 that morning.
Beside her was a tall man in a gray coat.
I recognized him immediately.
Graham Keller.
Ethan’s business partner.
His closest friend.
Best man at our wedding.
Ethan took the phone.
“What were they doing there?”
Daniel’s expression became grim.
“Deleting financial records.”
Ethan looked at me.
I could practically see his mind rearranging the last six months.
Vanessa’s late calls.
The acquisition.
The asset transfers.
Her sudden return.
“Call security,” he said.
“Already did.”
Ethan took out his phone.
I caught his sleeve.
“Wait.”
He looked down at my hand.
I released him immediately.
“Rachel Wynn called me.”
“Rachel?”
“She says Vanessa and Graham are moving money.”
Ethan’s face lost color.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because Graham signs only after I approve.”
Daniel opened another file.
“Not recently.”
He placed four wire authorizations on the counter.
Every document contained Ethan’s signature.
Ethan stared.
“I didn’t sign these.”
I studied his face.
For once, I believed him completely.
Daniel said, “Then someone forged them.”
Ethan picked up the first paper.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He turned it toward me.
A transfer had been sent to a company registered in Delaware.
VKR HOLDINGS.
My stomach tightened.
Vanessa Katherine Reed.
“Her initials,” I whispered.
Ethan nodded.
Daniel turned to the final page.
“This company received eleven-point-three million dollars.”
Ethan looked ready to kill someone.
Then Daniel said quietly, “There’s something else.”
He slid over the corporate registration.
VKR Holdings had two directors.
Vanessa Reed.
And one second name.
Ethan read it.
Then sank slowly into a chair.
I took the page from his hand.
The second director wasn’t Graham Keller.
May you like
It was Ethan’s younger brother.
Michael Mercer.
