Chapter 3 - The Paper Trail
Before Ethan could spin a new web of lies, I reached into my tote bag and pulled out a thick, manila envelope. I dropped it squarely onto the center of the dining table. The photographs and bank statements spilled out, completely covering Ethan's untouched steak. "Fifty thousand dollars," I said evenly, watching Ethan’s father, Dominic, lean forward, his face draining of color. "Over the past eight months, Ethan has been draining our joint savings and transferring it into a shell LLC." Mark snatched a statement from the table. The LLC was registered in Claire’s name. Claire burst into genuine, hyperventilating tears, babbling that she was just holding it for him, that it was a temporary loan to cover Ethan's 'mistake.'
