Chapter 2 - The Paper TrailThree days later, I sat in Detective Park’s office, my right hand heavily bandaged. The room smelled of stale coffee and printer toner, but to me, it smelled like absolute freedom.
"The footage is bulletproof, Maya," Chloe said, turning her monitor toward me. On the screen was high-definition video of Dominic crushing my hand onto the burner while Victoria stepped over me with her wine glass. "The grand jury indicted Dominic on aggravated felony assault, false imprisonment, and domestic torture. Victoria is being charged as an accessory."
"And Arthur?" I asked.
"Obstruction and aiding a fugitive charge are pending," Chloe replied, her eyes narrowing. "But Maya... while digging into the financial accounts you uploaded along with the video, our fraud unit found something massive."
I leaned forward. "The accounting software?"
"You built that back-end system for his construction firm, right?" Chloe asked. "Well, someone’s been using it to launder funds. Over $14 million flowed through Dominic’s company in the last six months alone. But here’s the kicker: Dominic isn't smart enough to run a scheme like that."
My heart hammered against my ribs. "Victoria."
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"Bingo," Chloe confirmed, slapping a folder onto the desk. "Victoria wasn't just your toxic mother-in-law. She’s the primary director of a shell corporation registered in the Cayman Islands. She used Dominic’s company as a front—and she was planning to frame you for the entire tax evasion scheme the moment Dominic divorced you."
A chill ran down my spine. The abuse wasn't just about control; it was a deliberate strategy to break my spirit so I wouldn't notice the net tightening around my neck.
