Chapter 4 - The Company He Thought He Owned
The next morning, I walked into Hartwell & Sons for the first time as a wife who knew her husband was a stranger.
Employees looked at me.
Some lowered their eyes.
Others whispered.
I didn't blame them.
News had traveled overnight.
The gala had been livestreamed by several attendees.
Clips were already circulating online.
Daniel's perfect anniversary speech.
Rebecca wearing the ring.
Noah stepping onto the stage.
My mother's letter.
The confrontation.
The comments were brutal.
But I didn't read them.
I had more important things to do.
Thomas met me at the office.
He had already contacted an independent forensic accountant.
Her name was Melissa Grant.
She spent three hours reviewing records.
Then she looked at me.
“Mrs. Hartwell?”
“Yes?”
“There are significant discrepancies.”
“How significant?”
She slid a report across the desk.
“Potentially over three million dollars.”
My stomach dropped.
Three million.
“Where?”
“Several places.”
She pointed to the page.
Payments to vendors.
Consulting fees.
Equipment leases.
Advertising.
Property rentals.
All suspicious.
“Could Daniel have approved these?”
“Some.”
“Could I?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Your digital authorization was added after the payments occurred.”
I stared.
“My signature?”
“Duplicated.”
I closed my eyes.
Daniel had not only stolen money.
He had forged me.
Melissa continued.
“There is another issue.”
“What?”
“Your company ownership structure.”
Thomas sat beside me.
Melissa opened another file.
“Your husband attempted to transfer your shares six months ago.”
“To whom?”
“A holding company.”
“Who owns it?”
She looked at Thomas.
Thomas answered.
“Daniel.”
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because the absurdity was unbearable.
“He tried to buy my company with my own money.”
“Yes.”
Then Thomas added:
“And there was a second transfer.”
I looked up.
“To Rebecca?”
“No.”
He hesitated.
“To an unknown investor.”
My skin prickled.
“Who?”
“We don't know yet.”
Melissa handed me a document.
The investor had purchased ten percent of a subsidiary.
The transaction had been completed through an offshore entity.
I stared at the name.
Northstar Holdings.
“Who are they?”
“We're finding out.”
That afternoon, I went home.
Daniel was waiting.
He stood in the kitchen.
No tuxedo.
No perfect smile.
Just a tired man in a white shirt.
“Claire.”
I didn't answer.
“You can't do this.”
“Do what?”
“Take this to the authorities.”
“I haven't.”
“You've already frozen company accounts.”
“Yes.”
“You're destroying everything.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“You destroyed everything.”
He stepped closer.
“I made mistakes.”
“You had an affair.”
“Yes.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“You forged my signature.”
He looked away.
“That wasn't supposed to happen.”
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
He rubbed his face.
“I didn't personally forge it.”
“So who did?”
He said nothing.
“Daniel.”
“I can fix it.”
“No.”
“I can explain.”
“Then explain.”
He looked at me.
“Rebecca wasn't the first.”
My chest tightened.
“What?”
He sighed.
“There were other women.”
I felt something inside me go strangely quiet.
“How many?”
“It doesn't matter.”
“It matters to me.”
He didn't answer.
I laughed.
“You know what’s strange?”
“What?”
“I thought the ring was the worst part.”
Daniel looked at me.
“It wasn't.”
I pointed toward the living room.
“That ring belonged to my mother.”
“I know.”
“She trusted you.”
“I loved her.”
“You betrayed her.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“You used the money she gave us.”
“I built the company.”
“We built the company.”
“I worked too.”
“So did I.”
“You were my wife.”
“I was your partner.”
He looked at me.
Then said the sentence that changed everything.
“You were supposed to sign the divorce papers.”
I froze.
“I never saw divorce papers.”
He looked toward the floor.
“They were sent.”
“To where?”
“Your lawyer.”
“I don't have a divorce lawyer.”
“You did.”
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
I suddenly understood.
“You forged that too.”
Daniel's silence told me everything.
I stepped backward.
“Who is Northstar?”
His face changed.
“Where did you hear that name?”
“From the records.”
He sat down.
“Claire…”
“Who owns it?”
He stared at the table.
Finally:
“I do.”
“No.”
He looked up.
“Not anymore.”
“Who does?”
He didn't answer.
A car pulled into the driveway.
Thomas stepped out.
Behind him was a woman I had never seen before.
She carried a black briefcase.
Thomas introduced her.
“Claire, this is Evelyn Hart.”
My stomach tightened.
“She has information about Northstar.”
Evelyn looked directly at me.
“I've been waiting five years to meet you.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother hired me.”
“For what?”
Evelyn opened the briefcase.
Inside were dozens of documents.
“The company your husband thinks he secretly owns.”
May you like
She paused.
“Was never actually his.”
