Chapter 5 - The War Room
The next morning, Veronica called with an update.
“David is unraveling,” she announced over the speakerphone. “His P.I.s told him they couldn't get near you. Now, he’s trying to play the victim card in family court. His lawyer just filed a motion claiming you stole his grandmother’s heirloom jewelry before you fled, and he wants the restraining order dropped so you can ‘mediate amicably.’”
I scoffed in disbelief. “I didn't take anything but my clothes and my laptop!”
“We know that,” Veronica said smoothly. “It’s a distraction tactic because he’s panicking. The IRS received the anonymous tip. They audited his former firm yesterday. The partners discovered that David had been siphoning client retainer fees into an offshore crypto account for two years. They are pressing criminal charges.”
Dad leaned back in his armchair, a grim smile playing on his lips. “When do the feds pick him up?”
“Soon,” Veronica replied. “But David knows he’s cornered. He’s going to lash out. I want you both to stay at the cabin. Do not go back to the city.”
We spent the next week turning the cabin into a war room. Dad and I combed through years of joint tax returns, bank statements, and David’s old emails that I had synced to my laptop before I left. The deeper we dug, the more horrified I became.
David hadn't just been abusing me emotionally and physically. He had taken out three massive lines of credit in my name, forging my signature. He was planning to bankrupt me before I ever realized the marriage was over. He was a parasite, feeding off my credit score and my sanity to fund a gambling addiction he had masterfully hidden.
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“I feel so stupid,” I whispered one night, looking at a spreadsheet of forged loans. “How did I not see this? I lived with him for five years.”
Dad put a heavy, comforting hand on my shoulder. “Deception is a professional skill, Sarah. He built a mask, and he wore it well. You aren't stupid for trusting the man you married. He’s evil for weaponizing that trust.”
