PART 3 — The Collapse

Victoria Vance tried to deploy her usual corporate composure, smoothly stepping past her son to address the room.

“Let’s not stage an unstable scene in front of our guests, Audrey,” she said, her voice dropping into a practiced, clinical register. “This is a private legal matter. We can schedule a meeting with our attorneys in the new year.”

“The timeline is already over, Victoria,” I replied, my voice dead calm.

I gestured to Paige, who stepped through the front doorframe carrying a sleek, encrypted data folder. She didn’t look like an ordinary administrative assistant anymore; she looked like a senior compliance auditor reviewing a high-risk account.

“Eight years ago, Dominic used your signature to file a fraudulent bankruptcy claim to shield his logistics startup from child support liability,” I stated, my words echoing off the high-ceilinged foyer. “He told the court his marital estate had zero assets.