Chapter 2 - The Audit Begins
The snow swirled furiously against the tinted windows of the sleek black sedan as Evelyn Hart settled into the leather seat. Behind her, the door of the Lincoln Park townhouse slammed shut, closing the chapter on four years of gaslighting, emotional neglect, and quiet degradation. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting out a breath she felt she had been holding since the day she married Grant Mercer.
"Headquarters or the Drake Hotel, Regional Director Hart?" the driver asked respectfully.
"The Drake, Marcus," Evelyn replied, her voice firm, steady, and entirely free of tears. "And then bring up the file on Apex Global Logistics' Chicago subsidiary."
Grant had spent years believing Evelyn was a low-level HR coordinator at a modest boutique firm. He had never paid enough attention to notice when her company was acquired eighteen months prior by Apex Global, one of the premier international logistics conglomerates in the world. Nor had he realized that Evelyn hadn't just survived the corporate restructuring—she had orchestrated it. She had been secretly promoted to Regional Director of Audits and Governance, reporting directly to the executive board in Geneva.
Her final assignment before relocating to Europe permanently was to conduct a ruthless ninety-day audit of Apex’s North American Midwest accounts.
And, as fate would have it, Grant’s commercial real estate firm, Mercer & Associates, relied almost entirely on a lucrative sub-lease contract granted by Apex Global.
When Evelyn arrived at her suite at the Drake Hotel, she opened her laptop. She didn't spend the night crying into her pillow or replaying Grant's cruel words. Instead, she called her attorney, Julian Vance, one of Chicago’s most formidable family law attorneys.
"Julian," Evelyn said calmly as the city lights shimmered outside her window. "It’s time."
"I have the files ready, Evelyn," Julian replied. "Are you sure you want to proceed with the asset freeze and full discovery?"
"The Lincoln Park home was purchased entirely with my inheritance from my grandmother," Evelyn said coldly. "The deed is solely in my name, though Grant’s mother convinced him it was 'marital property.' I want the formal eviction notice served to Grant, Marian, Paige, and Vanessa Cole by 8:00 AM tomorrow."
"And the twelve thousand dollars Paige borrowed?"
"File a formal civil suit for repayment. Include interest."
"Consider it done. What about your husband's business?"
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Evelyn looked at the glowing screen of her computer, where spreadsheets detailing Grant's real estate commission structure were displayed. "I start my forensic audit of Apex’s local contractors tomorrow morning at nine. Tell Grant’s chief investor that I will be reviewing all lease agreements personally."
She hung up the phone. For the first time in years, Evelyn slept peacefully.
