Chapter 5 - The Web Tightens
That afternoon, while Ethan was supposedly at his office "wrapping up loose ends," I took a private elevator to the executive penthouse of the Apex Development Tower on Wacker Drive.
Marcus Vance was waiting for me in the boardroom, surrounded by three senior partners from Chicago’s premier forensic accounting firm.
"Welcome home, Miss Carter," Marcus said, bowing his head respectfully as I walked in. "Or should I say, Mrs. Vance?"
"Not for long, Marcus," I said, tossing my coat onto a leather chair and taking my seat at the head of the conference table. "Do we have the financial trace on Ethan and Vanessa?"
One of the forensic accountants slid a thick blue binder across the glass table. "It's much worse than simple fraud, Emma. Over the last eighteen months, Ethan Vance has embezzled over six hundred thousand dollars from his own employer, Vanguard Logistics. He used part of those funds to buy Chloe a luxury condo in Lincoln Park and lease two sports cars."
"And the rest?" I asked.
"He used it to pay off his mother's massive gambling debts at riverboat casinos in Indiana," Marcus explained, turning a page. "They were completely bankrupt when Ethan met you, Emma. They saw your modest lifestyle and assumed you were an easy target. But when you paid for the penthouse in cash, Ethan panicked. He knew his embezzlement at Vanguard was about to be audited, so he planned to transfer your home into his name, mortgage it for three million dollars, pay off his stolen funds, and flee to South America with Chloe."
I stared at the financial charts spread out before me. The sheer calculation, the cold-blooded malice of it all, was breathtaking. They hadn't just wanted a home; they had planned to turn me into their financial fall guy, leaving me with a bankrupt title and a criminal investigation while they lived off my stolen wealth.
"Where is the dummy holding firm Ethan set up?" I asked.
"Registered in the Cayman Islands under the name 'Vance Strategic Holdings'," Marcus replied. "Controlled jointly by Ethan and Vanessa."
"Good," I smiled darkly. "Marcus, I want you to send Ethan the fraudulent title transfer documents tomorrow morning through our undercover bank contact. Make sure the contract includes a clause stating that 'Vance Strategic Holdings' assumes absolute, unconditional personal liability for all underlying corporate liens attached to Apex Development’s subsidiary accounts."
Marcus gasped, a slow, admiring grin spreading across his face. "If he signs that clause... he won't just fail to get the house. He will personally assume seven million dollars in high-yield corporate debt tied to our stalled commercial projects in East Chicago."
"Exactly," I said, standing up and pulling on my leather gloves. "He wanted my wealth. I'm going to give him my liabilities."
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"And what about the honeymoon in St. Barts?" Marcus asked.
"Oh, we're still going," I said, turning toward the door. "A luxury vacation is the perfect place for a man to sign a document he hasn't bother to read."
