Chapter 3: The Cold War
The Sterling Ranch became a battlefield. Vanessa tried to cut off their access to the estate accounts, accusing Elena of fraud. She even brought in private investigators to dig up dirt on Elena’s past, hoping to find a scandal that would force an annulment.
But they had underestimated the woman who had served them coffee and tolerated their insults for months. Elena knew where the bodies were buried—metaphorically speaking. She had spent her time working at the country club listening. She knew about the illegal offshore shell companies Vanessa was using to embezzle from the ranch’s profits.
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"You think I'm a waitress?" Elena said, cornering Vanessa in the library one rainy afternoon. She held a flash drive between her fingers. "I'm the woman who tracked every transaction you made for the last three years. This isn't just about my husband's inheritance. It's about your prison sentence."
Vanessa’s confidence crumbled. She tried to snatch the drive, but Caleb walked in, flanked by the ranch’s head of security. The tables had turned. The waitress who served them was now holding the gavel.
