Chapter 5 - THE EMPTY ACCOUNT
The account had been opened seven years earlier.
It carried Marissa's legal name.
Her identification number.
Her signature.
Her former home address.
But she had never seen it.
The balance was enormous.
More than enough to attract investigators.
More than enough to make her look guilty.
Marissa's attorney looked grim.
“If someone reports this account before we establish the truth, you could be questioned.”
“Then we establish the truth first.”
“We need evidence.”
“I know.”
Marissa returned to the townhouse.
Anthony no longer lived there.
But his study remained locked.
The property was legally hers until the division of certain assets was completed.
She entered the study.
Everything looked untouched.
She searched the cabinets.
Nothing.
She searched the desk.
Nothing.
Then she remembered the small box.
The one Anthony had opened the night before the divorce.
She found it behind a panel.
Inside were keys.
A flash drive.
And a photograph.
The photograph showed Anthony, Eleanor, and another man.
Marissa recognized the third man.
David Mercer.
Anthony's former financial adviser.
He had disappeared from the company two years earlier.
Marissa picked up the flash drive.
Before she could examine it, her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice spoke quietly.
“You found the box.”
Marissa froze.
“Who is this?”
“You don't need my name.”
“I think I do.”
“You're looking in the wrong place.”
“Then tell me where to look.”
Silence.
Then the man said:
“Bergdorf.”
The call ended.
Marissa stared at the phone.
The next afternoon, Eleanor went shopping.
She used one of her platinum cards.
The transaction was declined.
She tried again.
Declined.
Again.
Declined.
The cashier looked uncomfortable.
Eleanor demanded another card.
That one failed too.
She called the bank.
The account had been frozen pending verification.
Eleanor's face turned red.
“Do you know who I am?”
The cashier did not answer.
Eleanor left the store furious.
She called Anthony.
“What did you do?”
“What?”
“My cards are frozen.”
Anthony went silent.
“I didn't do anything.”
“Then fix it.”
“I can't.”
“You'd better.”
Anthony immediately called someone.
No one answered.
He called again.
Still nothing.
Then he received a message.
Do not contact us again.
Anthony stared at the screen.
That night, he drove to the townhouse.
He pounded on the gates.
Marissa opened the door.
Eleanor was with him.
The platinum card landed at Marissa's feet.
“You gold-digging bitch!” Eleanor screamed. “Turn my fucking card back on!”
Anthony pointed at Marissa.
“Fix it. Now.”
Marissa looked down.
Then stepped on the card.
That was where everything changed.
Eleanor dumped her shopping bag across the driveway.
“You humiliated me!”
Marissa looked at the scattered items.
“No. Your empty wallet did.”
Anthony stepped closer.
“You forget who you're fucking with?”
Marissa folded her arms.
“No, Anthony.”
She looked toward the military personnel behind the gate.
“You forgot who you married.”
Anthony noticed the uniform.
His confidence faltered.
Eleanor tried to push forward.
Marissa blocked her.
“Move!”
“No.”
Marissa lifted the black folder.
Anthony froze.
“What the hell is that?”
Marissa opened it slightly.
Bank records.
Receipts.
Financial statements.
Signed documents.
“Twelve years.”
Anthony's face went pale.
He reached for the folder.
Marissa closed it.
“Bad idea.”
May you like
Then the government sedan arrived.
The moment from which there was no return had begun.
