Chapter 3 - The Marriage Account
The next morning, Audrey met forensic accountant Lena Ortiz in a private conference room.
Lena connected a laptop to the wall screen and began tracing transfers from Audrey and Gavin’s joint accounts.
The pattern was hidden beneath ordinary expenses.
Small payments had been sent to a consulting company called North River Strategy. Gavin claimed the company handled marketing research for Whitmore Hotels.
North River Strategy had no employees, no active office, and no genuine clients.
Its sole owner was Brooke.
Over eleven months, Gavin had transferred more than four hundred thousand dollars to it.
Some of the money came from Audrey’s salary.
Some came from trust renovation funds.
The rest came from a business expansion account Audrey had created to open a boutique hotel.
Brooke had used the money to rent a luxury apartment, purchase designer furniture, pay private medical bills, and cover several international trips.
Trips Gavin had described as business conferences.
Audrey sat silently while Lena presented each transaction.
“Do you want to stop?” Lena asked.
“No.”
There were hotel reservations for two people.
Jewelry purchases.
A down payment on a vehicle registered in Brooke’s name.
Then Lena opened a series of recovered account notes.
Gavin had labeled one transfer Future Home.
Another was labeled Nursery.
The earliest transfer was dated six weeks before Brooke claimed the affair began.
They had lied even about the length of the betrayal.
Audrey looked through the glass wall toward the city.
She had worked sixty-hour weeks while Gavin said he was struggling to find his place in the family business. She had defended him when Martin criticized his performance. She had paid for vacations he secretly took with Brooke.
“Can the funds be recovered?” Audrey asked.
“Some of them. The larger issue is intent. These transfers may support claims of marital asset dissipation, fraud, and misuse of trust funds.”
Audrey’s phone vibrated.
It was a message from Gavin.
We need to discuss living arrangements. Brooke and the baby will need the house within two weeks. Please be reasonable.
Audrey stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived from her mother.
Your father is upset. Do not involve lawyers. Families survive mistakes through forgiveness.
Audrey gave the phone to Lena.
“Save both.”
By afternoon, Samuel had notified the bank that Audrey was the controlling trustee. The refinancing application was frozen. Access to trust accounts was restricted. All future payments required Audrey’s approval.
She did not touch Brooke’s medical coverage or anything connected to the baby.
Instead, she created a protected fund that could be used only for the child’s health and basic care.
Samuel noticed the decision.
“You’re protecting him.”
“He didn’t betray me.”
“What about Brooke?”
Audrey looked at the transfer records.
“She’s going to learn the difference between being supported and being rewarded.”
That evening, Audrey returned to the mansion while Gavin was still at the hospital.
She changed the password to the home security system.
Then she entered his study.
Inside the desk was a second phone.
May you like
It was unlocked.
Gavin had never imagined she would look.
