Chapter 3 - The Inside Man
I stared at the glowing laptop screen, unable to process the absolute zero in my account balance.
Julian had somehow bypassed the biometric security protocols of my primary bank.
I immediately called the emergency fraud hotline, pacing the living room floor while on hold.
A representative finally answered, and I frantically explained that my life savings had been stolen.
The representative placed me on a brief hold to investigate the massive outbound wire transfer.
When he returned to the line, his tone was entirely cold and strictly professional.
He informed me that the transfer had been authorized in person at a downtown branch.
I argued that it was impossible, since I had been cooking dinner all afternoon.
The representative calmly stated that my husband had presented a signed, notarized power of attorney document.
Julian had legally granted himself full access to my inherited wealth without my knowledge.
I ended the call and threw my phone against the wall in a fit of absolute rage.
I realized that Julian had been planning this financial execution for months.
The fake late meetings, the changed passcodes, and the sudden interest in our finances all made perfect sense now.
He didn't just want to leave me for my sister; he wanted to leave me completely destitute.
I grabbed my car keys, determined to track him down before he could leave the country.
I drove to Julian's corporate office building, knowing he often kept backup cash in his private safe.
The security guard at the front desk was asleep, allowing me to slip into the elevator unnoticed.
I reached the executive floor and used the spare keycard I had secretly copied a year ago.
His office was completely ransacked, with file cabinets thrown open and papers scattered everywhere.
I moved toward the large painting on the back wall and swung it open to reveal the hidden wall safe.
The safe was slightly ajar, but it wasn't completely empty.
Inside, I found a thick manila folder labeled with my full legal name.
I opened the folder, my hands trembling as I read the highly classified documents inside.
It was a comprehensive life insurance policy, paying out ten million dollars in the event of my accidental death.
The policy had been activated just two days ago, and Julian was the sole beneficiary.
Attached to the policy was a detailed mechanical schematic of my personal SUV.
I looked closely at the diagram, noticing a bright red circle drawn around the vehicle's brake lines.
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Suddenly, the heavy mahogany door of the office slammed shut, locking from the outside.
A dark figure stepped out from the shadows of the room, holding a suppressed pistol directly at my head.
