My husband put my bags on the porch and told me to leave "his" house, unaware I had just inherited $24 million and the deed to the property.

I opened the blue leather folder in front of me.

"According to the audit completed this morning by Deloitte," I announced, looking directly at Derek, "Whitmore Capital Solutions has misrepresented its liquidity by roughly three point four million dollars. You have commingled client funds to pay for private vehicle leases, unauthorized travel to Cabo San Lucas, and expensive jewelry purchases."

Chloe’s eyes flew wide. She abruptly pulled her hands away from her designer bag, sliding her chair two inches away from Derek.

"Hannah—wait," Derek gasped, a bead of cold sweat rolling down his temple into his collar. "Hannah, sweetheart, this is a misunderstanding. We’re family. Ava and Noah—think about our children! We can step outside and discuss this like rational adults. You don't understand the pressures I was under!"

"I understand perfectly," I said. "You told me two days ago that you needed a partner who elevated your brand, rather than an anchor dragging you into the mud. You told me that without you, I would have no income, no assets, and no roof over my head."

I turned my gaze to Chloe. "Miss Vance. You are the junior compliance officer who signed off on Derek’s expense reports, aren't you?"

Chloe turned the color of chalk. "Mrs. Whitmore... Hannah. I was misled! Derek told me these accounts were pre-cleared by his private family office! He assured me the funds were his personal dividends! I had no idea he was leveraging corporate debt or commingling funds!"

"Chloe, shut up!" Derek snarled, his face turning an ugly shade of crimson. "Shut your mouth!"

"No, Derek, I won't!" Chloe fired back, her survival instinct instantly kicking in. She pulled a flash drive from her purse and slammed it onto the table before pushing it toward Rachel Monroe. "Everything is on here. The off-ledger shell companies, the second set of books he keeps on a private cloud server, the unpaid vendor bills. He forced me to sign those filings under duress! He threatened to fire me and blackball me from the industry if I didn't comply!"

"You backstabbing little viper!" Derek lunged across the corner of the table toward Chloe, but two burly building security guards instantly intercepted him, twisting his arms behind his back and pinning him against the wall.

"Derek Whitmore," I said, never raising my voice, yet commanding the entire room with chilling authority. "Your commercial lease on the fourteenth floor of Langford Plaza is terminated effective immediately for material breach and criminal fraud. Your corporate pitch is rejected. And the Westchester County District Attorney’s financial crimes division was handed a copy of your books twenty minutes ago."