Chapter 5 - JESSICA VALE
Claire had never heard the name Jessica Vale.
That bothered her more than Madison.
Madison was at least visible.
A coworker.
A face.
A mistake Claire could understand.
Jessica was different.
Jessica had been hidden.
Natalie’s investigator found her by lunchtime.
Thirty-four years old.
Luxury real-estate broker.
Divorced.
No children.
Three high-end properties in Florida.
And photographs of Ryan at charity events beside her going back eighteen months.
Claire stared at the images.
“He’s known her that long?”
Natalie nodded.
“Maybe longer.”
One photo showed Ryan with his hand on Jessica’s back.
Not sexual.
Not obvious.
But intimate enough that Claire recognized it.
The casual ownership of the touch.
“How did I miss this?”
Natalie didn’t answer.
Because there was no useful answer.
Claire had been busy trusting her husband.
At 3:15, Jessica called.
Claire stared at the unknown Florida number before answering.
“Hello?”
“Claire Cole?”
“Who is this?”
A pause.
“Jessica Vale.”
Claire’s grip tightened.
“What do you want?”
“I think we should talk.”
Claire laughed softly.
“You’re about eighteen months late.”
Jessica didn’t react.
“I’m not calling about Ryan’s affair.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“Because he lied to me too.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Of course.
“What did he tell you?”
“That you were divorcing him.”
“He seems to enjoy that story.”
“He also told me the money was his.”
Claire sat straighter.
“What money?”
“The Miami property.”
“How much?”
“Three million.”
Claire stopped breathing.
“That’s impossible.”
“No. It’s under contract.”
Claire looked at Natalie.
She put the call on speaker.
Jessica continued.
“Ryan said he was receiving a large compensation package after his promotion.”
Natalie wrote something down.
Jessica’s voice lowered.
“But last night, I saw videos from the dinner.”
Claire had forgotten half the ballroom had filmed everything.
The clips were already online.
Ryan’s humiliation had become content.
Jessica continued.
“This morning he called me seventeen times.”
“Did you answer?”
“Once.”
“What did he say?”
“He wanted me to move money.”
Natalie leaned toward the phone.
“Jessica, this is Claire’s attorney. Do not move anything.”
“I didn’t.”
“Good.”
Jessica sighed.
“There’s something else.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Every time someone said those words, her life got worse.
“What?”
“Ryan asked me to open a second account under my name.”
“How much?”
“One point two million.”
Claire whispered, “From where?”
“I don’t know.”
Natalie looked alarmed.
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
Claire’s heart raced.
Ryan wasn’t retreating.
He was still trying to move money.
Jessica continued.
“And he said if anyone asked, I should say it came from a private investor.”
Natalie stood.
“Do you have that in writing?”
“Yes.”
“Send it to me.”
Jessica hesitated.
“Claire?”
“Yes?”
“I know you hate me.”
Claire stared out the window.
“I don’t know you well enough to hate you.”
Jessica swallowed.
“Then you should know one more thing.”
Claire braced herself.
Jessica whispered, “Ryan told me he needed the money moved before someone discovered what he did to your father’s estate.”
Claire’s entire body went cold.
May you like
Her father had been dead for three years.
And suddenly his name was back in Ryan’s mouth.
