It was an ongoing, systematic bleed.

“You didn’t make these transfers?” Daniels asked, his voice dropping an octave. “No.” My accounting training kicked in, violently suppressing the nausea rising in my throat.

Analyze the data. Emotion is the enemy. “I review my summary statements monthly. These transfers were digitally camouflaged, buried beneath layers of routine, automated business reimbursements for Ethan’s company.”

I ran a quick mental summation as I scrolled. Ten thousand. Twenty-five. Thirty-eight. Nearly forty thousand dollars. Evaporated. Not overnight—over the course of ten agonizing months.

I looked up at the officers, my face drained of color but my eyes burning with sudden, terrifying clarity. “Gentlemen, I don’t believe my husband just ran away from me. I believe he has been systematically embezzling from me.”

Officer Daniels slowly unbuttoned his breast pocket and retrieved his notepad. “Mrs. Bennett, I strongly advise you to contact your bank’s fraud department the second we leave. And I highly recommend securing legal counsel.”