Chapter 3 - Two Heartbeats and a Locked Phone
Natalie was intelligent, polished, and relentlessly ambitious.
She came from a wealthy family that had lost most of its fortune through failed investments. She understood social status and pursued it with the concentration of someone who had once possessed it and intended to possess it again.
Audrey met her at the company’s annual holiday reception.
Natalie wore a fitted red dress and stood beside Dominic as though they had arrived together.
When Audrey approached, Natalie smiled.
“You must be Audrey. Dominic talks about you constantly.”
Dominic looked uncomfortable.
“That’s strange,” Audrey replied. “He rarely talks to me lately.”
Natalie laughed too loudly.
After that night, Audrey began paying closer attention.
Dominic turned his phone facedown whenever she entered a room. He created a second password and started taking calls from the garage.
When Audrey asked about Natalie, he became angry.
“She is responsible for bringing in major partnerships. Do not create problems because you are insecure.”
“I asked why she called you at two in the morning.”
“Because we run a global company.”
“The company doesn’t operate globally.”
“It will.”
Audrey wanted to trust him.
Trust had been the foundation of their marriage. Without it, she would have to admit that the man beside her was not the man she had married.
During the sixth month of her pregnancy, Audrey discovered a receipt for a private prenatal clinic.
At first, she assumed it belonged to an employee.
Then she saw Dominic’s name listed as the responsible party.
She drove to the clinic and waited in the parking lot.
Forty minutes later, Natalie walked outside with one hand resting over her stomach.
Dominic followed her.
He kissed her forehead before opening the passenger door of his car.
Audrey remained in her vehicle until they drove away.
She did not cry.
She returned home, photographed their financial records, and copied every file she could access from Dominic’s office.
Her grandfather had taught her never to confront a powerful person before understanding the structure supporting his power.
For the next two weeks, Audrey quietly reviewed the documents.
She discovered transfers from their joint account into a company connected to Natalie. She found payments for a luxury apartment, designer furniture, and private medical care.
More disturbing were the corporate records.
Dominic had classified personal expenses as consulting fees. He had also transferred company money into shell entities and used Vale Meridian equipment as collateral for private loans.
Some documents contained Audrey’s electronic signature.
She had never signed them.
Audrey contacted an attorney named Mara Chen, an old university friend who specialized in financial disputes.
Mara reviewed the evidence.
“You need to leave him,” she said.
“I’m thirty weeks pregnant with twins.”
“That makes leaving more difficult, not less necessary.”
“What happens to the company?”
“If these records are real, the company may collapse.”
“Hundreds of employees work there.”
“Dominic created that risk. Not you.”
Audrey placed both hands over her stomach.
“I need to protect the babies first.”
Mara prepared emergency documents and created secure copies of all evidence. She also told Audrey to contact Silas.
Audrey refused.
“I chose this marriage. I need to solve it.”
“You are not asking him to solve it. You are asking your family to stand beside you.”
Audrey still did not call.
She planned to confront Dominic after the twins were born.
May you like
She believed she had ten more weeks.
The babies chose another night.
