Chapter 5 - THE AUDIT
The legal battle dragged on through the blistering heat of mid-summer.
Victoria Vance’s forensic accountants tore through Bennett Construction Supply’s ledgers like wolves in a slaughterhouse. What they uncovered went far beyond ordinary marital infidelity.
It turned out Michael hadn't just been using company funds to wine and dine Paige Henderson; he had been systematically siphoning corporate capital into offshore shell companies and buying luxury assets—including a $1.2 million penthouse in downtown Cincinnati—registered under Paige’s name to shield them from potential liabilities.
When Victoria filed the supplemental motion for corporate fraud and asset dissipation, the judge didn't just freeze Michael’s accounts—he appointed a court-supervised receiver to oversee the daily operations of Bennett Construction Supply.
Michael was effectively sidelined in his own company.
Meanwhile, my pregnancy was progressing smoothly. I was nearly five months along now, my belly beginning to show a soft, undeniable curve beneath loose-fitting linen dresses. I had told my daughters two weeks earlier, sitting them down in the living room of the townhouse and showing them the latest ultrasound pictures.
Grace had cried tears of joy, gently touching my stomach. Olivia immediately started arguing with Grace about what they should name their baby brother, while four-year-old Sophie excitedly offered to share all her stuffed animals with “the little boy.”
They didn't mention their father. In the months since we left, Michael hadn't called them once. He was too consumed by his crumbling empire and his golden-haired mistress to remember he had three daughters who loved him.
By late September, Paige Henderson was seven months pregnant.
According to neighborhood gossip and mutual acquaintances who whispered to my friends, Paige had moved into the grand master suite of my former home—sleeping in my bed, walking through my kitchen, and expecting the grand heir that was supposed to secure Michael’s legacy.
Michael and Paige were planning a lavish baby shower at an exclusive country club in Columbus, inviting all of Michael’s business associates, suppliers, and local politicians. It was designed as a public coronation—a declaration that his old life was dead and buried, and his glorious new dynasty had begun.
I received an invitation in the mail.
It wasn't sent by Michael; it had been mailed by Paige herself, complete with custom calligraphy and gold leaf embossing. A deliberate, petty taunt meant to rub salt in the wound of a discarded wife.
Join us to celebrate the upcoming arrival of baby boy Bennett, the invitation read. The future of Bennett Construction Supply.
I stared at the heavy cardstock, a slow, brilliant smile spreading across my face.
I called Victoria Vance immediately.
“Victoria,” I said, my voice sweet and steady. “I received an invitation to Michael and Paige’s baby shower next Saturday.”
May you like
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, followed by Victoria’s low, appreciative chuckle. “Oh? And are we planning to RSVP?”
“Yes,” I replied. “And I think it’s time I made a public appearance.”
