Chapter 5 - The Screenshot That Changed Everything
The screenshot from the night Leo was born became more important than I expected.
Not legally.
Emotionally.
Every time Luca apologized, every time Wendy claimed I had misunderstood, every time I wondered if I had acted too quickly, I looked at it.
Mom loved the watch I bought her. Coming home Monday. Don’t start another fight.
No concern.
No question about me.
No question about Leo.
It was evidence of something no accountant could quantify.
Priorities.
Meanwhile, the financial evidence grew.
Romano Consulting had received approximately $1.4 million over two years.
Not all from Kessler.
Several payments came from vendors who had won contracts approved by Luca.
Kickbacks were one possibility.
Improper referral fees were another.
There might be legitimate explanations.
But legitimate businesses leave legitimate trails.
These trails disappeared.
My attorney, Rachel Kim, sat across from me at Dad’s temporary apartment.
“You understand,” she said, “that if this becomes criminal, the divorce becomes secondary.”
“I know.”
“And anything you obtain improperly could become unusable.”
“I know.”
“Do not access his private email.”
“I haven’t.”
“Do not guess passwords.”
“I won’t.”
“Do not do forensic accounting on your own husband like you’re auditing Enron.”
Dad coughed to hide a laugh.
Rachel glared at him.
“I’m serious.”
“So is she,” Dad replied.
I nodded.
“I’ll use public records and documents I’m legally entitled to access.”
Rachel relaxed slightly.
Then she slid a folder toward me.
“What is this?”
“Your mortgage authorization.”
My stomach tightened.
“The original?”
“Certified copy.”
I opened it.
There was my signature.
Except it wasn’t mine.
Whoever had imitated it had made one mistake.
I signed Jessica Carter professionally.
On legal documents, I signed Jessica Anne Sterling-Carter.
The forged version used Jessica Carter.
Rachel pointed.
“The bank should have caught it.”
“They probably trusted the digital verification.”
“We’re investigating.”
Dad’s jaw tightened.
I turned the page.
There was another signature.
Witness:
Sabrina Vale.
Everything stopped.
“There,” I whispered.
Rachel nodded.
“You recognize the name?”
“Yes.”
I told her.
Birthday planner.
Romano Consulting.
Housing payment.
The photograph.
Rachel leaned back.
“That makes her relevant.”
Dad looked at me.
“You okay?”
“No.”
But I was functional.
Sometimes that had to be enough.
That afternoon, Luca called.
I answered.
“What?”
“I want to talk about the mortgage.”
“Good.”
“I didn’t forge your signature.”
“Then explain Sabrina witnessing it.”
Silence.
“She works with Mom.”
“She also receives housing payments.”
Long pause.
“You need to stop digging.”
There.
Not:
You’re wrong.
Not:
Here’s the explanation.
Stop digging.
I sat very still.
“Why?”
“Because you don’t understand what you’re looking at.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can’t over the phone.”
“Come with your attorney.”
“I don’t need an attorney to talk to my wife.”
“Estranged wife.”
“You really want to throw away four years?”
I stared at Leo sleeping nearby.
“No.”
My voice stayed quiet.
“I wanted you to show up for four years.”
That silenced him.
Then Luca said something unexpected.
“Mom is scared.”
“Of what?”
He hesitated.
“Your father.”
I looked toward Dad.
Arthur was making a bottle while pretending not to listen.
“He hasn’t done anything.”
“That’s the problem.”
“What?”
“She thinks he’s waiting.”
I almost smiled.
He was.
But not in the way Wendy imagined.
Dad wasn’t preparing revenge.
He was waiting for me to decide what I wanted.
That difference mattered.
“Tell Wendy she should be more worried about the truth than my father.”
Luca exhaled.
“Jessi, there are things you don’t know.”
“Then tell me.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
I laughed once.
“From what?”
He went quiet.
That frightened me more than anger would have.
“Luca?”
“Drop the financial investigation.”
“No.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
“If you keep going, you’re going to damage people who had nothing to do with our marriage.”
“Who?”
He hung up.
Dad set down the bottle.
“That sounded ominous.”
“It sounded guilty.”
“Those aren’t always the same.”
I looked at him.
“Why are you defending him?”
“I’m defending accuracy.”
That was Dad.
Even angry, he refused easy conclusions.
Two hours later, Rachel called.
“Kessler’s general counsel contacted me.”
My pulse accelerated.
“Why?”
“They received an anonymous packet this morning.”
“What packet?”
“Vendor records involving Romano Consulting.”
“From whom?”
“They don’t know.”
I hadn’t sent anything.
Dad hadn’t.
Rachel continued.
“They’ve placed Luca on administrative leave.”
I closed my eyes.
“Does he know?”
“He was informed thirty minutes ago.”
My phone immediately rang.
Luca.
I didn’t answer.
Then came the message.
What did you do?
Another.
You’re destroying my career.
Then:
If you think Sterling money will protect you from consequences, you’re wrong.
Dad read over my shoulder.
His face became unreadable.
“What?”
He pointed at the phone.
“That message.”
“What about it?”
“It isn’t anger.”
“What is it?”
“Fear.”
The doorbell rang.
Dad’s security camera displayed a woman.
Dark hair.
Long coat.
Nervous expression.
I recognized her immediately.
Sabrina Vale.
Dad looked at me.
“Expecting company?”
“No.”
Sabrina stared directly into the camera.
Then lifted an envelope.
When Dad opened the door, she said:
“I need to speak to Jessica.”
“About?”
She swallowed.
“Luca.”
I stepped into view.
Sabrina’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry.”
My heart began pounding.
“For what?”
She held the envelope tighter.
“For helping him lie to you.”
May you like
And whatever I thought I knew about my marriage changed again.
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