PART 5 — Ashley Monroe

I found Ashley two hours later.

She was sitting alone at a café overlooking the water.

Her suitcase was beside her.

Her engagement-style bracelet was gone.

She looked nothing like the confident woman who had boarded the plane.

I approached her table.

She looked up.

“If you're here to humiliate me, just do it.”

“I don't want to humiliate you.”

She laughed bitterly.

“Your husband already did.”

I sat across from her.

“I need to ask you some questions.”

“Why?”

“Because Ryan lied to both of us.”

She stared at me.

“I know.”

“Did he tell you about the company?”

“What company?”

“Carter Development.”

“No.”

“Did he tell you about a property sale?”

“No.”

“Did he tell you about twelve percent of the company?”

Her face went blank.

“No.”

I showed her one photograph.

Not the documents.

Just the picture of Ryan outside the courthouse.

She looked at it.

“What is this?”

“My mother-in-law was there.”

Ashley looked confused.

“Why?”

“I don't know yet.”

Then I showed her another photograph.

Ryan at the bank.

Her eyes widened.

“What is he doing?”

“I don't know.”

“Then why are you showing me?”

“Because you may be part of his plan.”

She looked horrified.

“What?”

“He booked this trip under a company account.”

Ashley shook her head.

“He told me he paid for everything.”

“He didn't.”

She stared at me.

“What was he going to do after Cancun?”

She hesitated.

“He said we were going to meet someone.”

“Who?”

“A businessman.”

“Name?”

“Victor Hale.”

I knew the name.

Victor Hale was a private-equity investor.

Mara had mentioned him before.

He had acquired distressed construction companies.

I pulled out my phone.

“Did Ryan ever mention selling his coastal properties?”

“Yes.”

My pulse quickened.

“What did he say?”

“That after the divorce, he would have enough liquidity to start something new.”

“Did he mention me?”

Ashley looked ashamed.

“He said you were taking half his assets.”

“That isn't true.”

“I know.”

She looked down.

“He also said you were refusing to sign because you wanted to destroy him.”

I nodded.

“He lied.”

Ashley looked at me.

“I believe you.”

Then she said something unexpected.

“He told me he was going to marry me.”

I didn't react.

“When?”

“After the sale.”

“Did he buy you anything?”

She looked away.

“A ring.”

“Where is it?”

“In my suitcase.”

“Give it back.”

She blinked.

“Why?”

“Because if he purchased it using company money, it may become evidence.”

She stared at me.

Then slowly nodded.

“Okay.”

We sat silently.

After a minute, she whispered:

“I really loved him.”

I looked at her.

“I know.”

That surprised her.

“You don't hate me?”

“I don't know you.”

She looked down.

“But you hate him.”

“I don't know what I feel.”

That was the truth.

Hatred required energy.

I had spent all mine surviving.

Now I wanted answers.

My phone rang.

Mara.

“Valerie, I have the buyer.”

“Who?”

“Victor Hale.”

Ashley closed her eyes.

“That's who Ryan said we were meeting.”

Mara continued.

“And there is something else.”

“What?”

“Victor isn't buying the properties.”

“Then what?”

“He's buying Carter Development itself.”

I felt my stomach drop.

“Why?”

“Because the company is insolvent.”

“So Ryan needs my shares to sell it.”

“Yes.”

“Can he sell without me?”

“Not cleanly.”

“What does that mean?”

“He can attempt it.

But your father's twelve-percent stake complicates the transaction.”

I looked at Ashley.

She was listening.

Mara said:

“Valerie, I need you to understand something.”

“What?”

“Ryan isn't trying to divorce you.”

“I know.”

“He's trying to erase your ownership.”

I looked at the ocean.

The sunset turned the water orange.

For nine years, I had believed my marriage was my greatest commitment.

Now I realized it had been my greatest liability.

And Ryan knew that.

He had counted on my loyalty.

He had counted on my silence.

He had counted on me being too afraid to investigate.

He had counted wrong.