Chapter 3: The Starving Wolves
Over the next two weeks, I systematically dismantled Evan Vale’s life with the precision of a surgeon.
Using the evidence from the flash drives, Mr. Halden and I froze every single corporate account associated with Evan. We handed the ledgers over to the federal authorities. The board of directors at Vale-Ellis Innovations convened an emergency meeting and voted unanimously to strip Evan of his title, his salary, and his severance package.
Evan tried to fight back. He hired a high-priced defense attorney, but the moment the attorney realized his retainer check bounced, he dropped Evan as a client. The high society friends who used to drink Evan’s champagne and laugh at his jokes suddenly stopped answering his calls. In the world of the wealthy, there is no sin greater than losing your money.
I hired a private investigator, a ruthless ex-detective named Vance, to track Evan and Celeste. They had moved into a seedy, run-down motel on the edge of the city.
Vance brought me photos every day. The progression of their misery was a balm to my shattered heart. The photos showed Evan and Celeste screaming at each other in parking lots. The stress of poverty was violently peeling away the romance of their affair. Celeste had loved the billionaire CEO; she had absolutely no use for a broke, desperate fugitive.
One afternoon, Vance called me. "Margaret, the mistress just bailed."
"Tell me," I said, sitting in Emma’s garden.
"She packed her bags while he was out trying to pawn his watch. When he got back, they had a massive blowout. She told him he was a pathetic loser and got into a cab. He’s completely alone now. And Margaret... he looks dangerous. He’s got nothing left to lose."
"He has his freedom," I said softly. "But not for long."
I had not yet given the audio recording of the garage to the police. I wanted Evan to suffer the loss of his pride, his money, and his mistress first. I wanted him hollowed out. But now, it was time for the final blow.
That evening, I received a text message from an unknown number.
May you like
You ruined my life. I’m coming for you.
I stared at the screen. I did not lock the doors. I did not call the police immediately. Instead, I walked to the kitchen, poured myself a cup of tea, and waited. Emma’s hidden security cameras, the ones Evan never knew she installed, were rolling.
