Chapter 5 - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Inside the quiet sanctuary of the Bellevue estate, Naomi Patterson sat by the grand limestone fireplace, wrapped in a plush cashmere throw. The house was blissfully silent. No heavy footsteps marching through the foyer. No smell of unfamiliar cologne masking deceit. No passive-aggressive sighs from a man who felt diminished by his wife's brilliance.
Margaret sat across from her, pouring a cup of Earl Grey tea from a silver pot.
"Security reports he spent twenty minutes arguing with the intercom before taking a public bus toward downtown," Margaret remarked casually, handing Naomi a porcelain cup. "He tried to call his mother, but apparently, she blocked his number once she realized he couldn't pay her monthly allowance anymore."
Naomi took a slow sip of her tea, watching the orange flames dance against the logs. "And the mistress?"
"Chloe Vance," Margaret said, flipping open a secondary file. "Twenty-four years old, graduate student in art history. She moved into a modest rental apartment in the University District six months ago—leased, naturally, under Richard's corporate credit card. Now that the cards are frozen and Richard is legally unemployable, she's panicking. Her lawyer called my office an hour ago asking if Naomi Chin Foundation offers financial assistance for single mothers."
Naomi let out a cold, humorless chuckle. "The irony is almost poetic."
"What are your instructions regarding the company restructuring?" Margaret asked, her tone shifting to professional gravity. "The board of directors held an emergency session at noon. Every single executive voted unanimously to ratify your actions and strip Richard of all remaining corporate ties. We need to appoint a new Chief Financial Officer. We have several qualified candidates lined up."
"Hold off on external hires for a week," Naomi said calmly, setting her teacup down. "I want to run the financial audits myself. I want to see every single cent Richard siphoned off for his little double life. Every dinner, every hotel room, every designer handbag bought for Chloe. We're going to file a civil suit for corporate embezzlement to recover every penny."
Margaret smiled, a look of profound respect in her eyes. "You're not just divorcing him, Naomi. You're dismantling him."
"He thought I was fragile," Naomi said softly, looking out the large glass doors toward the dark, starlit garden. "He thought because I was quiet, because I supported him, because I let him wear the crown in public, that the throne belonged to him. He forgot that kings only rule as long as the queen allows it."
May you like
"Well," Margaret stood up, smoothing down her skirt, "the queen has officially reclaimed her realm. I'll let the legal team know to proceed with the embezzlement filings in the morning. Get some sleep, Naomi. Tomorrow, we start the next chapter."
---
