Marcus pulled out a thick yellow file folder labeled with the legal seal of a local private investigation firm. He flipped it open, scanning the pages he had received only two hours before coming home.
The photographs inside showed Alana standing outside a high-end coffee shop downtown, exchanging thick white envelopes with a middle-aged man in a dark coat.
Marcus: You thought you were so clever, Alana.
He read through the financial audit reports attached to the back of the file. Over the last four months, over three hundred thousand dollars had been quietly transferred out of the mansion's household management account.
Alana had been telling him the money was going toward high-end catering deposits, luxury floral arrangements, and security retainers for their upcoming wedding.
In reality, every single dollar had been moved into a private shell company registered in the Cayman Islands under her brother's name.
A soft knock sounded at the office door. Marcus looked up to see his younger brother, David, walking into the room with a serious expression.
David: Marcus... I heard shouting from the driveway. I saw Alana driving away in her sports car like a lunatic.
Marcus: I kicked her out, David.
David: You what? The wedding is in three weeks! What happened?
Marcus: I walked in on her screaming at Lily. She threatened to throw my seven-year-old daughter out of the house because she spilled juice on a rug.
David's eyes widened in shock. He took a step closer to the desk, his hands balling into fists.
David: She spoke to Lily like that?
Marcus: It gets worse. Read this file.
Marcus slid the yellow folder across the dark wood desk. David picked it up, flipping through the bank statements and photographic evidence with growing disgust.
David: Is this... the household budget account?
Marcus: She stole three hundred thousand dollars, David. She was using our wedding as a cover to siphon off my company's funds before signing the prenuptial agreement.
David: My God, Marcus... she was scamming you from the very beginning!
Marcus: She didn't just scam me. She mistreated my daughter while I was away at board meetings. Mrs. Gable told me Lily has been hiding in her bedroom every afternoon because she was terrified of Alana.
David: What are you going to do now? Are you calling the police?
Marcus: Not yet. She thinks she's safe because she has key access to the city charity foundation account. She's going to try to drain that next before she leaves town.
David: How do you know?
Marcus: Because she mentioned the charity gala tonight. She thinks she still has status in this city.
Marcus closed the file folder with a sharp thud and picked up his desk phone, dialing his corporate legal team.
Marcus: Arthur? This is Marcus. I need you to freeze every single joint account connected to my estate immediately.
Arthur: Right away, Mr. Sterling. Should I prepare the fraud charges for the district attorney?
Marcus: Yes. Draft the full criminal complaint. We're serving her tonight at the gala in front of everyone.
Marcus hung up the phone and looked out his office window. Below in the driveway, the heavy iron security gates swung shut, locking out the world outside.
David: Do you want me to stay with Lily tonight while you handle this?
Marcus: No. I'm taking Lily with me to my mother's house first. She needs to feel safe. Then I'm going to finish this.