Chapter 4 - The Financial Audit
The next morning, while Emily and Leo slept in, I drove straight to the bank.
I walked into the manager’s office, slapping my identification, my passport, and the original deed to the house on his desk.
“I need a full, immediate audit of every account attached to my name, my mother's name, and my wife's name,” I demanded.
The bank manager, a nervous, balding man, began typing frantically. What he found made my blood run ice cold.
Over the course of four years, Beatrice hadn't just spent the $2,500 I sent every month. She had forged my signature to take out a $200,000 home equity line of credit against my mansion. She had opened five different credit cards in Emily’s name, ruining my wife’s credit score. Clara had been using the stolen funds to live a life of absolute luxury, buying designer bags, funding lavish vacations to Europe, and throwing $10,000 parties.
“Freeze it all,” I said, my voice dangerously calm. “Cancel the credit cards. Lock the checking accounts. If they try to withdraw a single penny, I want the transaction flagged for federal fraud.”
“Mr. Vance, if we flag this as fraud, the authorities will automatically be notified,” the manager warned.
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“That,” I smiled coldly, “is exactly the point.”
I left the bank and immediately hired the most vicious, ruthless corporate defense attorney in the state, a man named Harrison Sterling. I didn't care what he cost. I wanted total destruction.
