Chapter 1: The Recording
The first helicopter circled low enough to shake the chandeliers.
Nathan Ashford looked toward the ceiling, irritated rather than concerned.
"What the hell is this?" he muttered.
His mistress, Celeste, calmly crossed one elegant leg over the other, swirling the wine in her crystal glass.
"Probably the neighbors complaining," she said with a smirk. "Finish what you started."
Nathan smiled.
He grabbed the leather whip from the floor and stepped toward Evelyn again.
"You really called your father?"
He laughed.
"I've spent five years making sure no one believes a word that comes out of your mouth."
Evelyn slowly wiped the blood from the corner of her lip.
"You spent five years building a lie."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"I spent those same five years documenting it."
Nathan frowned.
Outside, black SUVs rolled through the estate gates.
One after another.
More than twenty.
His smile faded.
Then every television inside the mansion suddenly switched on.
Every screen displayed the same image.
ASHFORD GLOBAL HOLDINGS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EMERGENCY SESSION INITIATED
Nathan grabbed the remote.
Nothing happened.
His phone vibrated violently.
One notification.
Then another.
Then dozens.
ACCOUNT ACCESS REVOKED
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY SUSPENDED
BANK REVIEW IN PROGRESS
FEDERAL FREEZE ORDER RECEIVED
"What..."
His voice cracked.
"...is happening?"
Evelyn slowly reached toward the sapphire pendant resting against her chest.
With one gentle pull...
The necklace opened.
A tiny encrypted recorder rested inside.
She pressed PLAY.
Nathan's own voice filled the room.
"Take another strike. Nobody will ever believe you."
Another recording.
"Move the transfers through Cayman Seven."
Another.
"Once she's declared mentally unstable, every share becomes mine."
The color drained from Celeste's face.
"You..."
She stared at Nathan.
"...you said there wasn't any evidence."
Nathan couldn't breathe.
For the first time...
He understood he had been confessing to a witness.
Every.
May you like
Single.
Day.
