Chapter 2

The next day, I headed to the bank to review the transaction history for the joint account that Violet and I shared.

Every month, I'd deposit 3500 dollars into this account, while Violet would deposit a thousand dollars. We've been married for two years now. So, by all accounts, we should've had about 110 thousand dollars in savings by now.

However, when the teller handed me the account statement, I glanced at the four-figure balance and felt my blood run cold.

After two years, our account balance was only eight thousand dollars.

I flipped through the transaction records. Nearly all of the large expenses had been made two years earlier.

40 thousand dollars had been paid to a renovation company. 28 thousand dollars was spent at a furniture store, while another 30 thousand dollars was spent on electrical appliances. All the other miscellaneous expenses totaled about 2500 dollars.

In total, 100 thousand dollars had been withdrawn from the account, and Violet had authorized every single transaction.

A hundred thousand dollars.

That money was supposed to be set aside for our child's education.

While I, a project manager, was getting teased by my coworkers for wearing discounted suits, Violet had been using all of our savings to renovate a home for another man.

To make matters worse, the home in question was my apartment.

I photographed every bank statement and saved the images in my phone. Then, I began going through our text messages from two years ago.

While she was busy renovating a house for her lover, I was lying on a hospital bed with an IV in my arm.

Back then, my company had taken on a new project. While I entertained clients, I drank so much alcohol that I suffered a severe gastric hemorrhage and nearly died at the dinner table.

I was hospitalized for two months, but Violet had never shown up to visit me. She was too busy keeping another man company.

While I lay in the hospital room, she was using my money to renovate my apartment for someone else.

I took screenshots of everything.

Now that I had secured the evidence, it was finally time to settle the score.

…

During the weekend, I met up with my good friend from college, William Lawson.

William was a lawyer. After he graduated from law school, he established his own firm.

As he looked through the screenshots on my phone, the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

"How long has this been going on for?" he asked solemnly.

"At least two years," I replied.

"Did she pay for everything using the money from your joint account?"

"That's right." I nodded. "I have records of every transaction."

"Good. In that case, I can help you recover that money. Making large, unauthorized withdrawals from marital assets could be considered dissipation of marital property."

Then, he looked at me and asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to file for divorce," I declared.

After a brief pause, I added, "And I want her to walk away with nothing. I want my money back, and I want that homewrecker to know that every inch of the apartment he's living in belongs to me."

William burst into laughter.

"That's the Damian I know."

He was right. I had never been one to let a grudge go.

Over the past few years, Violet had repeatedly hinted that she wanted her name added to the deed for the apartment at Riverbank Residences.

In order to get me to agree, she'd occasionally try to guilt-trip me by claiming that I didn't trust her. Sometimes, she'd also argue that married couples should share every asset they own.

At that time, I couldn't understand why she kept bringing it up. But now, I finally know the truth.

"She wants ownership rights to the apartment," William declared.

Drumming his fingers against the table, he continued, "Once her name is added to the deed, she'd be able to transfer the property to that man or sell it and split the profits."

She had always assumed that I was nothing but an honest yet foolish project manager.

"I've got an idea," William said with a sly grin. "Go home and tell her you've changed your mind about adding her name to the deed."

"Then what?" I asked.

"Then, you can lure them out and catch them red-handed!"

…

William and I ended up talking for the entire afternoon.

Every step of our plan was carefully mapped out.

On my way home, I received a call from Violet.

"I'm working late tonight. Go ahead and have dinner without me," she said.

"Alright," I responded calmly.

After hanging up, I scoffed inwardly.

Working late?

If I had to guess, she was probably spending time with her secret lover.

"Enjoy your life while you still can, Violet," I thought to myself. "Your carefree days are coming to an end."

…

The following evening, I casually brought up the topic of adding her name to the deed over dinner.

"Hey, honey. Remember how you asked me about adding your name to the deed for the apartment at Riverbank Residences? I've given it some thought…"