Chapter 3
Chapter 3 The First Thread
Elara didn't let me return home that night.
The moment we stepped out of the club, she caught my wrist and pulled me toward her car.
“You're coming with me.”
“Elara, it's already late.”
“Exactly. Which is why you're staying with me.”
I looked toward the road. Damon hadn't called or asked where I was.
Tonight, there was nothing. I got into her car.
When we reached her family residence, the sitting-room lights were still on.
Before I could ask why, a deep voice came from the staircase.
“You're finally here.”
I looked up.
Evan, Elara's brother, was a rare omega and formidable businessman. He stood halfway down the stairs.
“Evan?”
“Serena.” His gaze studied me.
“I've been waiting for you to realize what kind of man your husband really is.”
My expression hardened. “What do you mean?”
“Damon's empire isn't as strong as it looks.”
“There are debts hidden beneath his expansion projects. Several partnerships depend heavily on your family's influence, and some of his transactions don't make sense.”
“You've been investigating him?”
“For years.”
“Then you already knew?”
“I knew enough to be suspicious. I didn't know enough to interfere.”
“Why?”
“Because you never wanted anyone interfering in your marriage.”
I lowered my eyes. He was right. Whenever someone questioned Damon, I defended him.
“I was stupid.”
“No. You were loyal. There's a difference.”
“So tell me. What do you want now?”
“I want everything back.”
“Everything?”
“The company, the assets and everything I gave Damon.”
“And Damon?”
“I'll deal with him myself.”
“Good.”
“I don't need you fighting my husband. I need you to make sure he can't use the business against me.”
“I'll help from the shadows. I'll investigate his debts, partnerships and external accounts.”
I shook my head.
“No. I'll investigate the company accounts myself.”
“Why?”
“Because Damon is still my husband. I know how he thinks and how he hides things. If he's been stealing from the company, I want to find the evidence myself.”
Evan nodded, “Fine. But be careful. Don't let Damon notice you've changed.”
“That's easy.”
“I'll have my secretary prepare an asset restructuring plan.”
“Quietly.”
“Of course.”
I turned to Elara, “I need you to watch Catharine.”
Her expression became serious.
“I want to know where she goes and who she meets. Don't let her know you're watching.”
“I can handle that.”
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
Now I needed to protect myself.
“I've already decided to reject him.”
“Then let Mr. Kai handle the legal side,” Evan said.
“I will. Until everything is ready, Damon can't know anything.”
“He won't.”
I understood what Evan meant. If I wanted to take back my life, I couldn't afford to act on emotion. I needed patience, evidence, and a plan. Damon still believed he knew me, and that belief had suddenly become my greatest advantage.
I would let him keep believing it.
For the first time, I was ready to use that advantage.
…
I stayed at Elara's house that night, but sleep barely came.
By morning, I was exhausted, but I went straight to the office.
I had barely finished reviewing the documents when Vivianne, Damon's sister, walked in with a warm smile.
“Serena.”
“Vivianne.” I smiled.
“You've been working too hard lately.”
“I'll be fine.”
Then she asked casually, “How was Damon's birthday?”
My fingers paused for a second, “It was fine.”
Her smile widened, “Damon and I have always been close, you know.”
I almost laughed.
The Vales were all born liars.
But I only smiled. “Of course.”
“We had dinner together yesterday. He seemed very happy.”
“That's good.”
She searched my face for suspicion. I gave her nothing.
“I only want Damon to be happy,” I said softly.
Her shoulders relaxed, “I knew you would understand.”
“Why wouldn't I?”
Eventually, she stood, “Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
“Damon really is lucky to have you.”
“So I've always believed.”
She left.
The moment the door closed, my smile disappeared.
She hadn't come to comfort me. She had come to find out whether I knew.
Now she believed I didn't. Good.
Let them believe that.
…
That night, I stayed at the office long after everyone had left.
Stacks of financial documents surrounded me.
I wasn't looking for proof of the affair anymore. I already knew enough. I wanted to know where the money was going.
If Damon had been funding Catharine's life through the company, there had to be a trail.
I opened transaction after transaction.
Most looked ordinary: consulting expenses, marketing costs, business travel.
Nothing stood out.
Midnight passed. Then I opened the subsidiary accounts.
One transaction caught my attention, then another.
The descriptions were different, but the amounts and dates followed a strange pattern.
I checked them again.
Seven payments.
All disguised as legitimate business expenses.
I calculated the total. It was almost four million dollars.
My fingers froze, “Four million…”
I opened the invoices.
They looked legitimate at first, but the recipient information didn't match the companies listed.
I checked the bank details.
My breathing slowed.
The money hadn't gone to a consulting company. It hadn't even gone to a marketing agency.
It had gone to a personal account.
I checked the name twice.
Catharine.
“No…”
There was no mistake.
Seven payments. Four million dollars.
Damon hadn't simply been cheating on me.
He had been using company money to fund the life he had built behind my back.
For years, I had wondered why certain accounts never balanced, why expenses seemed unnecessarily high, and why money disappeared without explanation.
Now I had my answer.
I copied every document onto a separate drive and messaged Evan: I found something.
His reply came immediately: What did you find?
I forwarded the transaction details.
A moment later, his answer appeared: I'll secure the records.
I closed the laptop.
For the first time since discovering Damon's betrayal, I had something solid. It was not suspicion, not rumours but evidence.
I looked down at my wedding ring.
Damon thought I was still the woman who trusted him blindly.
He thought I would cry, forgive him and walk away with whatever the law allowed me to keep.
He was wrong. I wasn't going to fight him with anger. I was going to fight him with facts.
I had finally found the first thread.
Now I was going to pull it until his entire empire began to unravel.