Chapter 3 - THE PAPER TRAIL
Night fell over the city, but neither Sophia nor Ryan slept. The decorated living room felt like a crime scene.
They sat at the kitchen island, surrounded by Ryan's laptops, tablet, and stacks of financial statements spanning the last five years. Ryan had given Sophia full access to every password, every cloud drive, every email archive, and every bank account he owned.
"Look," Ryan said frantically, scrolling through his bank history. "Every transaction is logged. Groceries, mortgage, gas, dinner with you. There are no cash withdrawals over two hundred dollars. No secret credit cards."
Sophia sat beside him, reviewing the documents Victoria had left behind. She examined the marriage certificate carefully. It listed a chapel in Las Vegas, dated July 14th, three years ago.
Sophia's mind flashed back to July 14th three years ago.
"Three years ago..." Sophia murmured, pulling up her own digital calendar. Her eyes widened. "July 14th was the week of your company's annual executive retreat in Tahoe."
Ryan froze. "Tahoe... yes! I was in Nevada for four days. But I was with the team the entire time!"
"Who was with you on that trip, Ryan?" Sophia asked, her pulse quickening. "Who managed the scheduling?"
"Marcus," Ryan said immediately. "Marcus Vance... my cousin. He organized the whole retreat."
A cold draft seemed to pass through the warm kitchen. Marcus Vance was Ryan's older cousin and his second-in-command at their family-owned architectural firm, Vance Construction. Marcus had always been the charismatic, flashier cousin, while Ryan was the meticulous, hardworking engine of the company.
Sophia immediately dialed her close friend, Elena, who worked as a paralegal for a high-profile corporate law firm downtown.
"Elena, I need a massive favor," Sophia said into the phone, her voice shaking. "I need you to run a background check on a woman named Victoria Vance. Or Victoria Sterling. Whatever her maiden name might be."
"Sophia? What's wrong? How was the shower?" Elena asked, picking up on the desperation in her voice.
"It was a nightmare," Sophia replied. "Just run the name. Please. I need to know who she really is."
Two hours passed in agonizing silence. Ryan sat on the floor, staring blankly at the wall, while Sophia paced back and forth, rubbing her belly. The baby kicked—a sharp, reassuring movement that reminded Sophia she couldn't afford to break down.
At 2:15 AM, Sophia's phone chimed. It was an email from Elena with several PDF attachments.
Sophia rushed to the island, opening the files. Ryan scrambled up beside her.
"Did she find something?" Ryan asked breathlessly.
"Victoria Sterling," Sophia read off the screen. "Thirty-two years old. Former high-end event planner... currently employed as a marketing consultant for Vance Construction."
Ryan blinked in shock. "What?! She works for my company? I’ve never seen her in the office!"
"She was hired six months ago," Sophia continued reading, her eyes scanning the text rapidly. "Remote contract basis. Approved personally by... Marcus Vance."
Ryan grabbed the edge of the counter, his knuckles turning white. "Marcus... why would Marcus hire her? Why would she fake a marriage certificate with my name?!"
Sophia kept reading, opening a secondary document attached by Elena. It was a corporate filing for Vance Construction.
"Look at this," Sophia pointed to a clause in the company bylaws. "Section 4B: In the event that the primary CEO, Ryan Vance, is involved in a severe moral controversy, felony conviction, or personal scandal that brings disrepute to the firm, the Board of Directors retains the right to strip his voting shares and transfer executive management to the Chief Operating Officer... Marcus Vance."
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Ryan’s mouth went dry. "My grandfather wrote that clause decades ago to protect the family name..."
"It’s not an affair, Ryan," Sophia said, the realization washing over her like cold water. "It’s a corporate hit job. They aren't trying to break up our marriage... they're trying to destroy your reputation so Marcus can take control of the firm before the upcoming board vote next month!"
