Chapter 3 - The Audit Begins
By 8:00 AM on Monday morning, the storm I had quietly prepared for six weeks officially broke over Chicago.
I sat in Victoria Vance’s high-rise law office overlooking the river, a hot cup of black coffee in my hand. Across the large glass desk sat Victoria and Arthur Pendelton, a forensic accountant whose reputation for uncovering hidden assets struck terror into corporate fraudsters across the state.
"We’ve completed the initial freeze, Natalie," Arthur said, opening a thick leather binder packed with financial spreadsheets. "And I have to say, your ex-husband was exceptionally sloppy. He believed he was bulletproof."
"Tell me everything, Arthur," I said.
"Over the last forty-eight months, Daniel transferred a total of $214,000 from your joint accounts, your marital investment funds, and the rental income from your grandmother’s secondary commercial property," Arthur explained, tapping a pencil against a ledger. "Of that money, roughly $120,000 went directly into paying off Fiona’s business debts, funding luxury trips, and purchasing jewelry."
"And the rest?" I asked.
Arthur grinned—a predator’s smile. "That’s where it gets really interesting. Daniel wasn't just giving your money to your sister. He was using your joint credit profile to secure private business loans for a shell company he registered under Fiona’s name: Mercer & Vance Hospitality Development."
Victoria leaned back in her leather chair, crossing her arms. "In short, Natalie, he was planning to launch his own boutique consulting firm using your capital, using Fiona as the front person so his name wouldn't appear on the paperwork until after your divorce was finalized."
"He wanted to leave me with a drained joint account, force a sale of my apartment, and walk away into a ready-made business funded entirely by my family," I said, a cold realization settling in.
"Precisely," Victoria nodded. "Which is why our legal strategy isn't just a simple divorce. We filed a civil lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) state statutes for civil conspiracy and fraud. We are suing both Daniel and Fiona jointly and severally for full restitution, punitive damages, and legal fees."
"What about his job?" I asked.
Daniel worked as a Senior Vice President of Client Relations at Sterling & Croft, one of the most prestigious wealth management firms in the city. His entire identity was built on his reputation for integrity, discretion, and financial acumen.
"That’s the beauty of it," Victoria smiled darkly. "Sterling & Croft has strict morality clauses in their executive contracts, especially regarding financial fraud and illicit asset transfers. Because Daniel used his corporate-issued laptop to manage his shell company's bank accounts, his employer is legally obligated to conduct an internal compliance audit."
"Did you send them the court filings?"
"An hour ago," Victoria replied, checking her watch. "In fact, I believe Daniel is receiving a very interesting call from his Managing Partner right about now."
At that exact moment, across town in a cramped, one-bedroom apartment in West Loop, Daniel Mercer was waking up on Fiona’s sofa.
His head was pounding from cheap scotch. His phone—the secondary burner phone he had kept hidden from me—began to buzz violently on the coffee table.
He reached out, his hand shaking, and answered it without checking the caller ID.
"Hello?" Daniel croaked.
"Daniel. It’s Richard Sterling," a harsh, commanding voice cut through the receiver.
Daniel sat up instantly, his heart hammering against his ribs. "Mr. Sterling! Good morning, sir! I was just about to log on—"
"Don't bother logging on, Daniel," Richard Sterling interrupted, his tone cold enough to freeze water. "Your corporate access codes have been revoked. Your company credit cards have been canceled. And your office on the forty-second floor is currently being locked down by our security team."
Daniel’s blood ran cold. "Sir? What... what are you talking about? There must be a misunderstanding!"
"There is no misunderstanding," Sterling snapped. "We received a formal legal notice from Victoria Vance’s office this morning regarding your pending civil fraud lawsuit, along with evidence that you used company servers to conduct unauthorized personal financial transactions involving shell corporations and misappropriated marital funds."
"Sir, that’s a private domestic dispute!" Daniel pleaded, standing up, pacing frantically around Fiona’s tiny living room. "My wife... my soon-to-be ex-wife is crazy! She’s trying to ruin me!"
"Your private domestic dispute has dragged our firm's name into a high-profile asset fraud investigation!" Sterling bellowed. "The Board of Directors is holding an emergency meeting at noon. You are suspended indefinitely without pay, effective immediately. Do not come near the building, Daniel. If you do, security will escort you off the property in handcuffs."
The line went dead.
Daniel dropped the phone onto the couch, staring blankly at the wall.
Fiona walked out of her bedroom, wearing a faded bathrobe, her eyes swollen from crying all night. "Daniel? Who was that?"
Daniel slowly turned to face her. The slick, handsome, confident man she had spent four years fighting to steal was gone. In his place was a ruined, jobless man standing on the edge of an absolute abyss.
"I got fired," Daniel whispered.
Fiona stared at him, her hands trembling as she clutched her coffee mug. "What do you mean, fired? How are we going to pay my business rent on Friday?!"
"Your business rent?!" Daniel suddenly screamed, his composure completely shattering as he lunged toward her, pointing an angry finger in her face. "My entire life is over, Fiona! My career is destroyed! My bank accounts are frozen! And all you care about is your damn floral shop?!"
"Don't you yell at me!" Fiona shrieked back, tears spilling over her face again. "You promised me you had this under control! You told me she was stupid! You told me she wouldn't fight back!"
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For four years, their affair had been built on a foundation of stolen luxury, secret thrill, and shared contempt for me. But stripped of my money, my apartment, and my silence, the toxic core of their relationship was exposed.
They didn't love each other. They only loved what they could steal together.
