*”Now,”* I murmured softly, *”I can tell you what you’ve actually given away.”*
I paused, letting the silence stretch for one agonizing second.
*”I’ve known about Melissa since the day Leo was born. I read the text message while you were singing in the shower.”*
I felt his body violently flinch beneath the thin hospital sheets. His breath hitched, a sudden, wet gasp.
*”I have every bank statement,”* I continued, my voice a rhythmic, hypnotic cadence of destruction. *”Every hidden hospital bill. Every flight log. And, most importantly, every fraudulent offshore wire transfer you made to hide marital assets from the IRS.”*
His jaw slackened. The confusion in his eyes morphed instantly into sheer, unadulterated terror.
*”Those eight properties you just signed away? The trusts? The shell companies?”* I smiled gently, brushing a stray hair from his sweaty forehead. *”I handed the complete, thirteen-year embezzlement dossier to the federal authorities and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division yesterday morning. They’ve been building a case for six months based on anonymous tips I provided. By signing those documents today, you finalized the paper trail.”*
