I waited until Evan's car pulled out of the driveway before moving. My hands trembled slightly as I sat at my desk, but my mind was surprisingly clear. The woman who had spent last night crying over wilted roses was gone. In her place sat someone harder, someone who needed answers.
"Let's see how deep this goes," I whispered to myself, opening my laptop.
I logged into our family cloud account—the one Evan thought I never checked. The password was still our anniversary date, as if he didn't think I'd ever question him. The irony wasn't lost on me.
First, I pulled up Evan's Uber history. He'd been careless enough to sync it with our shared account "for tax purposes," he'd once explained. Now, it would be his undoing.
I scrolled through months of rides, noting patterns. Every Tuesday and Thursday, rides to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Wednesday afternoons to Perch, the restaurant where we'd had our first date. Friday evenings to a private residence in Malibu—Sabrina's apartment.
"Client meetings," my ass.
I cross-referenced these times with Sabrina's "work hours"—the schedule she'd posted on the company intranet. Perfect alignment. Not once did they overlap with actual client meetings or company events.
My printer hummed as I sent page after page of evidence to be printed. Each document felt like another nail in the coffin of my marriage.
"What are you doing?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Sabrina stood in my doorway, her expression carefully neutral.
"Just organizing some files," I said, gesturing vaguely at my screen. "Evan mentioned you needed some design documents for the Galaxy project?"
Something flickered across her face—annoyance? Fear? She recovered quickly.
"Yes, I'm working on the final sketches. Evan wants to fast-track the collection."
"I'm sure he does," I replied, my voice steady despite the rage building inside me.
After she left, I continued my investigation, my demeanor shifting from heartbroken wife to clinical detective. Each piece of evidence was another step away from the woman who had trusted blindly and toward someone stronger—someone who would fight back.
---
Later that afternoon, I tried to access the company's operating account to pay a vendor. My password was rejected.
"Your access has been revoked," the screen read.
Revoked? I was still the majority shareholder of Lawrence Designs. Evan couldn't just—
But he had.
I picked up my phone and dialed the bank's customer service number.
"Lawrence Designs, this is Sophia," I said when the representative answered. "I'm trying to make a payment, but my access seems to be blocked."
"I'm showing your authorization was removed last month, Mrs. Lawrence."
"By whom?"
"The request came from Mr. Lawrence himself."
My grip tightened on the phone. "I see. Could you help me understand some recent transactions? There seems to be a discrepancy in our consulting fees."
The rep hesitated. "I'd need verification of your identity."
I rattled off Evan's security answers—his mother's maiden name, his first car, his childhood pet. Answers he'd shared with me years ago, never imagining I'd use them against him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Lawrence. Let me pull up those records."
As she spoke, my pen moved across my notepad, recording every damning detail. Large Venmo transfers to an account linked to Sabrina O'Brien. Withdrawals labeled "Consulting Fees" that never appeared on our company books.
The total made my stomach drop: nearly half a million dollars over two years.
"Is there anything else I can help you with today?" the rep asked.
"No," I said, my voice hollow. "Thank you for your help."
I hung up and stared at my notes. This wasn't just an affair. This was systematic theft.
---
Panic surged through me as I rushed to my home studio. The Galaxy collection was my life's work—designs I'd been perfecting for years. If they were planning to steal my work...
I reached the hidden safe behind my inspiration board and entered the combination with shaking fingers. Empty.
"No, no, no," I whispered, rifling through the shelves where I kept my physical portfolios.
Nothing.
I turned to my computer, praying the digital backups would be intact. I'd been so careful, backing up every sketch, every pattern in multiple locations.
But when I opened the folders, my heart sank. Some files were corrupted beyond repair. Others had been deleted entirely.
"Looking for something?"
I whirled around to find Sabrina leaning against the doorframe, my diamond necklace glinting at her throat.
"This isn't just about Evan, is it?" I said slowly.
Sabrina's smile widened. "Oh, Sophia. It never was."
In that moment, I realized this wasn't just about a cheating husband. This was a calculated coup to steal my work, my company—my entire life.
And they'd almost gotten away with it.
