Chapter 10 - The Drive Behind the WardrobeGrace insisted they not connect the drive to any personal computer.
The next morning, a forensic specialist made an exact image of the device.
Most files were encrypted.
Some were not.
The first accessible folder contained spreadsheets.
Ward & Finch vendor histories.
Bank-routing information.
Internal payroll records.
Another folder contained photographs of signed documents.
Naomi’s consulting agreement.
Copies of Elise’s signature.
Scans of Cecilia’s signature.
Grace leaned back.
“This is preparation material.”
“For forgery?” Elise asked.
“At minimum.”
A third folder contained corporate valuations.
Ward & Finch was valued under three scenarios:
continued family ownership;
partial sale;
full breakup and asset sale.
The breakup scenario produced the highest return.
$63 million.
Adrian stared at the spreadsheet.
“These numbers came from internal files.”
“Who prepared them?”
“The formatting looks like Trevor’s.”
The forensic specialist opened file metadata.
Author:
THale.
Elise felt something settle inside her.
Not relief.
Certainty.
Trevor had been planning far beyond an affair.
Naomi sat across the table.
“He once told me the company should be sold.”
Elise looked at her.
“Why didn’t you mention that earlier?”
“I didn’t understand it mattered.”
“Everything matters now.”
Naomi nodded.
They kept searching.
One document was titled:
Governance Transition Timeline.
Month One: create beneficiary dispute.
Month Two: establish irregular related-party payments.
Month Three: document concerns regarding Elise decision-making.
Month Four: trigger independent governance review.
Month Five: approach strategic buyers.
Elise stared at the screen.
Her name appeared repeatedly.
Not as a wife.
As an obstacle.
Naomi covered her mouth.
“This was created eight months ago.”
One month before N.W. Creative existed.
Three months before the affair began.
Elise looked at her sister.
“He planned the financial scheme before he slept with you.”
Naomi’s eyes filled.
Grace corrected softly.
“He planned to use you before the affair.”
Naomi stood suddenly.
“I need a minute.”
She left.
Elise did not follow.
The forensic specialist opened another recovered file.
A draft email.
Recipient unknown.
Once E loses unilateral control, the board will be forced to consider liquidity. Sister remains useful because she can establish family conflict and beneficiary dissatisfaction.
Elise read the sentence twice.
“Sister remains useful.”
Naomi had been reduced to a function.
Elise felt no satisfaction.
Only nausea.
Grace said, “This is significant evidence.”
“Enough?”
“Combined with bank records and forged documents, perhaps enough for law enforcement to begin taking this very seriously.”
“Perhaps?”
“Criminal cases move slower than emotional certainty.”
Elise hated the phrase because it was true.
Adrian’s phone rang.
He answered.
Then his expression changed.
“What?”
Everyone looked at him.
He ended the call.
“Trevor has retained litigation counsel.”
Elise almost laughed.
“Of course he has.”
“He’s also sent a demand letter.”
“For what?”
Adrian placed his phone down.
“He claims he was wrongfully suspended.”
“That’s absurd.”
“There’s more.”
Trevor demanded access to records necessary to defend himself.
He also claimed Elise had fabricated accusations to conceal her own unauthorized transfers to Naomi.
Grace’s expression hardened.
“He’s building a civil defense before criminal investigators arrive.”
Elise looked at the hard drive.
“Then we give investigators everything.”
Grace nodded.
“But understand what happens next.”
“What?”
“Your marriage becomes evidence.”
Elise went still.
“Your texts. Your finances. Your private life. Potentially your sister’s relationship with your husband.”
Naomi returned at exactly that moment.
She had heard.
Her face was pale.
Grace looked at both sisters.
“If you pursue this, there may be no way to protect the family from public exposure.”
Elise thought of the wardrobe.
Of Trevor smiling downstairs while Naomi hid among her clothes.
Of Cecilia’s unsigned termination letter.
Then she looked at Naomi.
“I think Trevor has been counting on shame keeping us quiet.”
Naomi slowly nodded.
Elise closed the laptop.
“So we stop being ashamed of what he did.”
Grace’s phone buzzed.
A message from the forensic specialist’s colleague.
One encrypted partition had just been opened.
May you like
Inside was a folder labeled with a single word.
CECILIA.
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