Chapter 3: The Hidden Ledger
The next day was a blur of headlines and social media firestorms. Chloe wasn't just humiliated; she was being systematically erased from the social circles she had fought so hard to climb.
She sat in the penthouse apartment that Julian had been paying for, waiting for him to come back and "apologize" for his breakdown. She truly believed this was a temporary lapse. She had already drafted a press release claiming she was the victim of a jealous, elderly woman.
Then, the knock came. It wasn't Julian. It was his legal team.
"Ms. Harrington," the head attorney said, placing a thick, black binder on the coffee table. "We have reason to believe that during your engagement, you were not only mistreating the staff but were actively embezzling funds from the wedding account."
Chloe laughed, a shrill, desperate sound. "Embezzling? I have access to the accounts. We’re married!"
"You were," the attorney corrected. "The marriage license was never filed. Julian suspected your motives months ago. Margaret Vance—the 'cleaning lady' you pushed—is a forensic accountant by trade, among other things. She’s been tracking every dime you moved into your private 'emergency' accounts."
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The binder contained photos, wire transfer records, and even screenshots of Chloe’s private messages to her friends, where she joked about "milking the cow until it was dry."
The "clumsy cleaning lady" hadn't just been testing Chloe’s character; she had been gathering evidence.
