Chapter 3

Back at home, Grayson pulled a thick shareholder agreement from his briefcase.

"Several investment firms are requiring consolidated voting rights before the IPO." He sat down beside me, his tone earnest. "We need to sign a profit guarantee and share custody agreement. If you temporarily transfer your voting rights to me, the company will be able to make decisions more efficiently."

I sank back into the couch and flipped from the first page to the last.

On the surface, the agreement looked like a standard pre-IPO governance arrangement. But the hidden clauses were beautifully crafted: if quarterly profits fell below the agreed target, my shares would transfer at a nominal price into a family trust controlled by Grayson. On top of that, I'd assume personal liability for certain debts.

Even more conveniently, the profit settlement account ultimately pointed to a vendor called Redwood Consulting.

What Grayson didn't know was that three months ago, I'd already discovered that large amounts of the company's procurement spending were flowing to this shell company with no employees and no office address. It was registered under Leah's cousin's name, but the real controlling party was Grayson.

He was siphoning off profits, manufacturing the appearance of underperformance, and then using this agreement to take my shares.

"Isn't that a lot of liability?" I looked up. "If things go wrong, I could lose all my shares and end up buried in debt."

Grayson immediately took my hand. "Don't you trust me? I'm guaranteeing even more than you are. We're husband and wife. Why would I ever set you up?"

He spoke with utter sincerity, without once looking away.

I looked at him for a few seconds, picked up the pen, and signed my name on the signature line.

Grayson stared at the signature, his Adam's apple bobbing. He quickly tucked the agreement into his briefcase and didn't even notice the zipper catching.

"With this, the last hurdle for the IPO is cleared." He stood up and faked a yawn. "Long day. I'll sleep in the guest room so I don't wake you."

I nodded sweetly. "Good night."

After the guest room door closed, I locked the bedroom and answered Nolan's video call.

On the screen, he'd just finished night training. His black tank top was soaked through with sweat, the muscles in his shoulders and arms pulled taut. His first words were, "Did he touch you?"

"No. He got me to sign an agreement designed to strip me of my shares, then slunk off to the guest room."

Nolan's expression darkened. "You signed?"

"I did."

"Selena, that company was paid for with the trust fund your mother left you. You built it with him from a garage. How could you—"

Before I could explain, Grayson's lowered voice drifted in from the hallway. I held up a finger to Nolan, put in my earbuds, and moved to the door.

"Leah, don't cry. Snapping at you in the boardroom today was all for the directors' benefit. That necklace you liked? I'll buy it for you tomorrow. The one she got isn't worth a fraction of yours.

"She already signed the agreement. Once the shares move into my trust and she gets stuck with the debt, she'll have no choice but to leave the company. Then I'll divorce her and give you the life you want."

I listened to his promises and felt no pain. Only a deep sense of absurdity.

When I returned to the bed, Nolan's eyes were already red with fury, even through the screen. "I'm coming over right now. Let me throw him down the stairs, or at least break the hand he signed that agreement with."

"Violence would end your racing career," I said evenly. "And he's not worth it."

"Then why did you sign?"

"Because that agreement contains the account that proves he controls the shell company. The moment it goes into effect, he'll have hand-delivered proof of financial fraud straight to my lawyers."

Nolan went quiet for two seconds, then broke into a grin. "So you're waiting for him to spring his own trap."

"Yes." I settled back against my pillow. "Tomorrow he says he's meeting investors in Portland. In reality, he's taking Leah to a private hot spring resort in Napa Valley."

"Are you going to catch them in the act?"

"No." I looked toward the door, my voice steady. "I'm going to help him exit his marriage with dignity, and his company without any."