The Seattle skyline greeted Hannah as her plane descended through the clouds. I watched her emerge from the terminal, her tailored suit and purposeful stride drawing curious glances from other travelers. Ten years had refined her features—the same sharp intelligence burned in her eyes, but now it was tempered with the confidence of a woman who had built an empire of legal victories.
"Cora," she said simply, embracing me. No questions, no judgment—just the steady presence I desperately needed.
She insisted on driving, navigating the rental car through downtown traffic with the same precision she applied to cross-examinations. We pulled up to the Grand Pacific Hotel, a discreet luxury property tucked away from the main thoroughfares.
"Nobody asks questions here," Hannah explained, leading me through the lobby to a private elevator. "And nobody remembers faces."
The suite she'd booked was spacious but unremarkable—the kind of place that existed to be forgotten. Perfect for what we needed.
"Dr. Rodriguez is waiting," Hannah said, unlocking the door.
Elena Rodriguez stood as we entered—a petite woman with steel-gray hair and eyes that missed nothing. The table before her was covered with documents, laptops, and financial reports.
"Mrs. Montgomery," she said, extending her hand. "I prefer to call you Cora, if that's acceptable."
"Cora is fine," I replied, noting how she'd deliberately avoided using Rhys's name.
"Good," Elena said, gesturing to a chair. "Because we're about to dismantle everything that name represents."
For the next three hours, Elena guided us through the labyrinth of Rhys's financial empire. Her fingers danced across keyboards as she pulled up offshore account statements, shell company registrations, and cryptocurrency wallets.
"He's been very careful," she said, her voice betraying a hint of admiration for her adversary's skill. "But careful isn't the same as smart."
She pointed to a complex web of transactions flowing through a series of entities—Montgomery Ventures, Cascade Holdings, TechNova Capital.
"See this pattern?" Elena asked, highlighting a series of transfers. "Funds move from legitimate business accounts to these shell companies, then through at least seven intermediaries before landing here."
She clicked on a final destination—a private bank in the Cayman Islands.
"He's hoarding hundreds of millions," she continued. "Meanwhile, you've been clipping coupons."
I felt sick as the full scope of his deception unfolded before me. Ten years of lies, meticulously crafted to keep me dependent and controlled.
"There's more," Elena said, pulling up another screen. "Your husband has been laundering money through Ms. Payne's social media presence."
"Laundering money?" Hannah interjected. "Through an influencer?"
Elena nodded. "Sponsored posts, brand deals, affiliate marketing—all funded with dirty money. He's using her entire online persona as a money laundering operation."
I thought of Selena's perfectly curated Instagram feed, her lavish lifestyle displayed for millions of followers. It was all a facade—a carefully constructed front for Rhys's criminal enterprise.
---
Selena's latest video played on my laptop screen, her voice dripping with false modesty as she guided viewers through her penthouse apartment.
"This space is really all about light and air," she said, panning across floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased Seattle's skyline. "Rhys has such exquisite taste."
I watched, my expression carefully neutral as she flaunted the $10 million penthouse—my husband's gift to his mistress.
"And this is where I create all my content," she continued, gesturing to a professionally equipped studio. "My brand partners love the natural lighting."
Brand partners. I almost laughed at the euphemism.
Hannah leaned over my shoulder. "She's not even subtle anymore."
"No," I agreed, clicking the download button. "She's not."
The video ended, but Selena's Instagram story continued—a series of images showcasing her latest purchases, all tagged with #blessed #livingmybestlife #thankyoubae.
Then came the ultrasound image.
"Baby Hunter-Montgomery," read the caption. "Our little miracle. #billionairebabydaddy #secretfamily #comingsoon"
I stared at the grainy image, feeling nothing but cold calculation. Another piece of evidence for our case.
"Every post, every story," Hannah instructed as I methodically screenshot and archived everything. "We're building a timeline of dissipated marital assets."
---
"Got her," Hannah's private investigator said, sliding a folder across the table. "Selena Payne isn't as clever as she thinks."
The folder contained medical records, text messages, and surveillance photos—all centered around Scott Hunter, Selena's ex-boyfriend.
"According to these records," the investigator explained, "Ms. Payne terminated a relationship with Mr. Hunter approximately eight months ago. During which time..."
"She was already with Rhys," I finished.
"Exactly," Hannah confirmed, examining the timeline. "But look at these dates."
She pointed to the medical records, highlighting the estimated conception date.
"The baby can't be Rhys's," I realized. "The timing doesn't work."
"It's Scott's," Hannah said firmly. "Which means Selena is conning Rhys just as thoroughly as he conned you."
I stared at the evidence before me, a strange sense of symmetry settling over me. The sociopath who had manipulated me for a decade was himself being manipulated by the woman who had tormented me since high school.
"She's playing both sides," I murmured.
"And she's about to lose everything," Hannah replied, her voice cold with certainty.
