He hung up.
Turned.
And saw her.
Ashley.
Standing there, no longer as confident as before.
“Everything’s under control,” she said quickly.
Daniel stared at her.
“It better be.”
But for the first time…
he didn’t sound sure.
Three days later, the first notification came.
From the bank.
“An internal investigation has been opened regarding suspicious activity…”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
He called his accountant.
No answer.
Not that day.
Not the next.
That same afternoon, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
“Mrs. Hayes,” a formal voice said. “We need to discuss certain transactions…”
I looked at Megan.
And smiled.
“I’ve been expecting your call.”
Because Daniel never understood—
it wasn’t just that I signed.
It was that I waited.
Watched.
Collected everything.
And while he thought he bought my silence…
he gave me time.
A week later, everything exploded.
First quietly.
Then publicly.
“Businessman under investigation…”
“Millions missing…”
“Wife key witness…”
Daniel saw his name everywhere.
And felt something real.
Fear.
