Chapter 25 - The Senator's Wife
The secure room at Haven Ledger was designed to look less like an interrogation room and more like a high-end, comfortable living room. It was soundproofed, electronically swept for listening devices twice a day, and devoid of any windows that could compromise a client's location.
Clara Hastings sat on the edge of a plush sofa. She was a strikingly beautiful woman in her early forties, but her posture betrayed a deep, suffocating terror. She wore an oversized cashmere sweater, and her hands were clasped so tightly together her knuckles were white.
"Mrs. Hastings," I said softly as I entered, taking a seat in the armchair opposite her. Chloe stood silently by the door. "My name is Anna. You are completely safe here. No one knows you have crossed this threshold."
Clara looked up, her eyes scanning my face with desperate intensity. "They told me you were the one who broke Julian Croft. They said you can find money that doesn't officially exist."
"I am an auditor," I replied calmly. "I follow the numbers. And numbers, unlike politicians, cannot lie. Tell me about your husband."
Clara took a shaky breath. "Robert is a monster. The public sees this charming, articulate leader, but behind closed doors, he controls every breath I take. Two years ago, he forced me to sign over power of attorney regarding my family’s estate under the guise of a 'blind trust' for his political campaign. Since then, he has systematically liquidated my inheritance. I have no access to cash. My credit cards are monitored in real-time by his chief of staff. If I buy a cup of coffee that isn't pre-approved, he... he punishes me."
I glanced at the subtle bruising fading along her jawline, expertly covered with heavy foundation. The financial cage was always accompanied by physical terror.
"Why did you come today?" I asked gently. "What changed?"
"He is moving the money," Clara whispered, tears finally breaking through her composed facade. "I overheard him on a secure line in his study. He is transferring millions of dollars into an offshore account in the Seychelles. He told his fixer that once the transfer clears next week, he is going to have me committed to a private psychiatric facility in Switzerland. He’s going to lock me away and keep everything."
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I looked at my scarred hand, remembering the exact moment Dominic had tried to erase my autonomy. The playbook never changed.
"He thinks he can erase you," I said, leaning forward. "He thinks his political power makes his ledger invisible. We are going to prove him wrong. We are going to track that transfer, Clara. And we are going to use his own money to buy your freedom."
