Ryan turned sharply. “You reviewed it?”
“You asked me to,” I replied. “You thought someone was stealing from the account.”
His expression collapsed.
The truth was, Ryan had called me three weeks earlier because money had started disappearing from the small marketing company he and Chelsea ran together. He thought it was a vendor issue. I suggested hiring a forensic accountant. Chelsea argued against it, saying it was unnecessary and insulting.
That was the first warning sign.
The accountant uncovered hotel charges, luxury purchases, and transfers to an account under Trevor’s consulting company. When I requested documentation from the hotel through our attorney, the security images matched the dates.
Chelsea looked around the room, searching for support.
“This is disgusting,” she said. “You investigated me on your birthday?”
“No,” I said. “I investigated missing money from my son’s company.”
Ryan’s voice broke. “Was Trevor being paid from our account?”
Chelsea said nothing.
That silence spoke louder than any confession.
Diane looked at Ryan. “Honey, I never sent anyone after her. I didn’t even know about the hotel until tonight.”
Chelsea suddenly pointed at Diane. “She hated me from the beginning!”
I leaned forward. “Diane defended you from the beginning. She defended you when you forgot birthdays, when you mocked our house, when you told Ryan we were too old-fashioned to understand success.”
Chelsea’s breathing quickened.
Ryan whispered, “Did you cheat on me?”
Chelsea’s eyes hardened. “Maybe I wouldn’t have needed someone else if you weren’t always running to Mommy and Daddy.”
That was when Ryan stood up again.
But this time, he wasn’t looking at his mother.
He was looking at his wife.
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