Chapter 5 - The Web of Lies
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The truth hit me like a physical wave, knocking the wind right out of my lungs.
For months, I had thought Ethan was just an overly ambitious entrepreneur going through a rough patch. I had believed him when he said his software platform was "just one quarter away from profitability." I had smiled and nodded when Margaret insisted that family always supports each other financially.
It had all been a scam. Every single piece of it.
"Look at the date on this application, Lena," Adrian pointed out, flipping to the second page of the file. "He filed this four days after you announced your pregnancy to his family."
"They thought that once I was pregnant, I'd be tied to him forever," I said, tears of absolute fury finally spilling over my lashes. "They thought I'd be too terrified of being a single mother to ever question the papers put in front of me."
"Or," Adrian added grimly, "they knew that once you were married, your personal assets would become commingled, making it almost impossible for you to prosecute him for forgery without ruining your own credit."
Detective Hayes took notes in his yellow pad. "We'll be adding felony identity theft, bank fraud, and forgery to the charge sheet, Miss Vance. The district attorney is going to have a field day with this."
"I want a forensic audit of every single bank account Ethan Whitman has ever opened," I demanded, wiping the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand. "I want to know where every dollar I gave him actually went."
"I'll handle the forensic team," Adrian said, taking my hand and squeezing it tight. "Right now, you are coming home with me. You are changing the locks on your townhouse, revoking his security access, and freezing every joint account you ever touched."
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"I don't just want to protect myself, Adrian," I said, looking my brother in the eyes. "I want them to pay for every single lie."
"Oh, they will," Adrian replied, his voice dripping with venom. "Ethan thinks he’s a brilliant tech innovator. By the time I'm done with him, he won't even be able to open a checking account to buy a cup of coffee."
