Chapter 13 - THE VILLA ACCOUNTS
The audit lasted two weeks.
By the end of it, Chloe Mercer had become a financial problem larger than anyone expected.
Fourteen million dollars in questionable public-relations payments became twenty-two million.
Twenty-two became thirty-one.
Some of the money had funded legitimate campaigns.
Some had paid consultants who existed.
But nearly nine million dollars had traveled through shell vendors connected to Chloe’s brother.
Another three million had gone toward private travel, luxury apartments, and expenses disguised as crisis-management operations.
The private villa appeared repeatedly.
Julian stared at invoices from weekends Chloe had described as corporate retreats.
He had attended three.
Elena had believed he attended five.
Two had never existed.
Chloe had used them as cover for something else.
Julian’s general counsel slid another document across the desk.
“We found access logs from Elena’s executive account.”
Julian read them.
Chloe’s credentials had opened Elena’s calendar seventy-nine times during the final six months of the marriage.
Private appointments.
Attorney meetings.
Medical consultations.
Travel plans.
Everything.
“Why?”
“We don’t know.”
Julian did.
Control.
Chloe had always seemed magically prepared.
She knew when Elena planned to confront Julian.
She knew when Elena scheduled lunch with board members.
She knew when Elena asked questions about missing money.
Julian had interpreted Chloe’s preparation as competence.
Now it looked like surveillance.
Another file appeared.
“What’s this?”
“Metadata from the medical summary.”
Julian looked up.
His attorney continued.
“The PDF used during mediation was created on Chloe’s company laptop.”
The room went silent.
“Can you prove she altered it?”
“We can prove she created the summary.”
Julian closed the folder.
“That’s enough for me.”
“For your marriage, perhaps.”
The lawyer’s expression was careful.
“For criminal accusations, we need more.”
Julian stood.
“Prepare separation papers.”
The attorney blinked.
“You married eighteen days ago.”
“I can read calendars.”
“An annulment may be possible if fraud can be established.”
“Do whatever is cleanest.”
“Chloe will fight.”
“I know.”
“Publicly.”
“I know.”
“She built your public image.”
Julian looked at him.
“Then perhaps it’s time I lived without one.”
That evening, he returned to the penthouse.
Chloe was waiting.
There were suitcases in the foyer.
For one irrational second, Julian thought she had decided to leave.
Then he realized they were his.
“You packed my things.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“This apartment belongs to me.”
Chloe laughed.
“Everything belongs to you.”
“Not everything.”
Her expression changed.
“Alexander?”
Julian did not respond.
Chloe folded her arms.
“You froze my company access.”
“Yes.”
“You suspended my expense accounts.”
“Yes.”
“You had my office searched.”
“Company-owned equipment was reviewed.”
“You investigated my brother.”
“He received millions through shell companies.”
“He worked for us.”
“On what?”
Chloe said nothing.
Julian placed a folder on the table.
“I’m filing for an annulment or divorce.”
She stared at him.
Then she laughed.
He waited.
She continued laughing until tears appeared.
“You are unbelievable.”
“I should have done this before the wedding.”
“Because Elena had a baby.”
“Because I learned who you are.”
“You knew exactly who I was.”
“No.”
Her smile vanished.
Julian continued.
“I knew who you told me you were.”
Chloe stepped closer.
“And Elena?”
“What about her?”
“You think she’ll take you back?”
Julian’s face tightened.
“No.”
That answer surprised Chloe.
“No?”
“She shouldn’t.”
“Then what is this for?”
“Myself.”
Chloe stared.
Julian looked at the suitcases.
“I don’t need Elena waiting at the end of this to know marrying you was a mistake.”
For the first time, Chloe looked genuinely frightened.
May you like
Because revenge against Elena was something she understood.
A man finally seeing her clearly was not.
