Chapter 3

When Ethan got the news, he was at an auction.

He'd just spent two million dollars on an antique brooch for Olivia.

A reporter asked, "Why splurge like this?"

Ethan smiled.

"Four years ago, when things were at their worst for me, she was the one who got me through it.

"Some people choose to leave when you hit rock bottom.

"But there are always people who stay."

Less than ten minutes after that aired live, Caleb called.

Ethan didn't answer.

A second call.

A third.

Only then did he frown and step backstage.

"What is it?"

Caleb didn't ease into it. "Mara's dead."

Ethan said nothing.

"What did you say?"

"We found her remains.

"She died four years ago.

"Eight months pregnant."

For a long time, the only sound on the line was breathing.

Finally, Ethan answered, "That's impossible."

Caleb's voice was hoarse.

"The DNA results came back.

"It's her."

Ethan never went back to the auction that day.

Olivia called him.

He didn't pick up for her either.

He went straight to the station.

Rachel walked him through the time of death, the location, and the preliminary findings.

Ethan only asked, "What about the five million?"

Caleb's head snapped up.

"What did you say?"

"The money she moved back then.

"If she was already dead before that, who moved the money?"

This time, he was finally asking the right question.

Four years too late.

They pulled up the company's old books.

My authorization token really had been used for the transfer.

But it went through at 11:47 p.m.

According to Rachel, I was already dead by then.

And here was the key part.

The login came from right near the old clinic.

The police got hold of the old phone records and server backups.

The device wasn't my computer.

It was a spare company computer.

It was checked out under one name.

Olivia Grant.

Caleb stared at the name.

His expression grew grimmer.

Ethan was there too.

He stared at it for a long time.

"She said that computer got lost."

Caleb turned to him.

"And you didn't check?"

Ethan didn't answer.

"Your wife was eight months pregnant, and she just vanished.

"So did the company's money.

"And you watched one video, heard a few words from your secretary, and didn't look into anything at all?"

That one hit hard.

But Ethan didn't argue, because that was exactly how it went.

He hadn't.

He'd even banned his employees from looking for me on their own.

He wouldn't let anyone say my name.

He was too angry.

And far too quick to believe the version of the story that let him off the easiest.

I betrayed him.

I took the money.

I ran.

That way, he never had to admit he'd already crossed the line with Olivia.