Chapter 4 - The House of Cards
Three weeks after giving birth, I brought Noah, Caleb, and Luke home. We didn’t go to the lake house—Vanessa and Ethan had briefly attempted to break into it the week prior, only to be met by local police and a permanent restraining order. Instead, I returned to my childhood estate, a sprawling, secure sanctuary where my father’s security team ensured we were completely protected.
Ethan’s life was unravelling at a terrifying pace. Without access to corporate funds or personal accounts, the lavish lifestyle he and Vanessa flaunted evaporated overnight. The black Birkin bag Vanessa loved so much? Rumor had it she was already trying to pawn it to cover her mounting legal fees.
On a rainy Thursday morning, Rebecca arrived at the estate with an updated portfolio and a triumphant smile.
“The preliminary audit results are back, Claire,” Rebecca announced, setting her laptop on the sunroom table where I was feeding Luke. “It’s much worse than we initially thought. Ethan didn’t just embezzle from Mercer Logistics; he was using multiple fraudulent loans backed by forged corporate signatures to buy speculative real estate under Vanessa’s name.”
“Real estate?” I asked, guiding the bottle away as Luke settled peacefully.
“A chain of failing luxury boutiques that Vanessa managed,” Rebecca explained, tapping the screen. “Which means Vanessa isn't just an innocent bystander in an affair. She was an active co-conspirator in corporate fraud. Our forensic team found email chains where she actively pushed Ethan to siphon more funds from your family trust accounts.”
The pieces clicked into place. Vanessa hadn’t just been a mistress; she had been a parasite looking for a host, and Ethan had foolishly offered up my family's legacy to feed her greed.
“What does this mean for the divorce proceedings?” I asked, laying Luke gently in his stroller to sleep alongside his brothers.
“It means Ethan isn't just looking at losing his assets,” Rebecca said grimly. “He’s looking at criminal indictments for grand larceny, wire fraud, and forgery. The district attorney is already reviewing our file.”
Just as Rebecca finished speaking, my cell phone buzzed on the table. It was an unknown number, but the area code was local. I stared at the screen for a moment before swiping to answer.
“Claire?” a voice sobbed on the other end. It wasn’t Ethan.
It was Vanessa.
“Vanessa,” I said neutrally.
“You have to help us,” she wept hysterically. “Ethan is gone. He packed what little he had left and drove away this morning. He left me with all the debt, the lawsuits, and the police are looking at me for the boutique fraud! They’re going to arrest me, Claire!”
I looked out the grand bay window of the sunroom, watching the rain wash clean the lush gardens outside.
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“You wanted my life, Vanessa,” I said quietly. “You wanted my husband, my house, and my standing. It turns out you got everything you asked for.”
“Please!” she screamed before the line abruptly disconnected.
