Part 3

The woman who entered with bank counsel was Marisol Vega, head of special assets.

Six weeks earlier, Ethan had told her I was too emotional to understand finance.

“Mrs. Brooks,” Marisol said to me, deliberately using my legal name, “we secured the accounts at five this afternoon.”

Ethan gripped the back of a chair.

“You froze my company?”

“We restricted transfers pending investigation,” she replied. “After receiving evidence of diverted borrower funds and false draw certifications.”

Richard stepped forward.

“Evidence from her? She wants a divorce. She’ll say anything.”

Marisol turned her tablet toward him.

It showed transfers from Mercer Custom Homes to Ethan’s friend’s development, Richard’s equipment dealer, and Diane’s decorator through a fake supplier.

“Natalie signed those,” Ethan said.

“No,” I answered. “You copied my signature from the 2023 guarantee.”

He looked toward his mother.

Diane took one step away from him.

The doorbell rang again.

Two police officers entered after Rachel explained what had happened and showed them the pantry recording on her phone.

The video clearly showed Ethan pushing me down.

It also captured Diane ordering me to apologize while I knelt on the marble floor.

Ethan watched himself on-screen and seemed offended by how clearly it showed everything.

“She provoked me,” he said.

One officer asked whether I wanted to make a report.