FAZER LOGINShe did not sleep.Aiden offered to stay on the couch. Grace told him he could stay in the bed if he wanted. He said he would take the couch. Neither of them argued about it. They both knew sleep was not really the conversation.At six in the morning she was already at the kitchen table with Floyd's file list printed out in front of her. Three pages. Single-spaced. Every filename from every server they had accessed so far.Aiden appeared in the doorway at six-fifteen, hair still messed from the couch, and looked at the papers spread across the table."You should have woken me," he said."I'm fine.""I know you're fine." He moved to the kitchen and started the coffee. "That's not why I said it."He sat down across from her with two mugs and she let him pull half the stack of papers toward himself. They worked like that for a while. Quiet. Two people going through a list, one name at a time.The filenames were mostly numbers. Dates and camera designations. Some had location codes that F
Detective Floyd did not call ahead.She simply knocked at eight in the morning, laptop tucked under one arm, a coffee she had not touched going cold in her other hand. Grace opened the door. Floyd looked at her the way she always did, like she was measuring whether Grace had slept. Grace had not slept."We need to go through something together," Floyd said. "You and Aiden both."They sat at the kitchen table. Aiden beside Grace. Floyd across from them, opening the laptop slowly, like she was in no hurry even though they both knew she was."The videos from Mason's private room," Floyd began. "The ones we found on the server in the penthouse." She paused. "He didn't store them locally. The originals were uploaded. Three separate servers. Different countries.""How many files?" Grace asked."Forty-seven confirmed. Possibly more that were deleted before we got in."Aiden's jaw tightened. Grace watched him and then looked back at Floyd."Show me what you need to show me."Floyd turned the
Grace stared at the photos on her phone. Judge Brenner and Richard Hartwell. The handwritten note about payment to a Cayman account."This is evidence of bribery," she said. "Real evidence."Aiden looked at the photos. "Who sent this?""I don't know. Anonymous email.""Should we send it to Detective Floyd?""Yes. But first..." Grace forwarded the email to Rachel. Then to Detective Floyd. "Now it's documented.""What about your business? The thirty days?"Grace sighed. Put her phone down. "I don't know. I need to think.""Grace, let me help. Please.""Aiden—""Just hear me out. Five million dollars. Invested in Tessa Designs. I get twenty percent equity. You keep control. You keep your vision. I'm just a silent partner.""That's too much money.""It's not charity. It's business. Your company is worth investing in. The designs are incredible. The brand has potential. This is smart business for me.""Or you're just saying that because you love me.""I'm saying it because it's true. Yes,
Grace stared at the email. Read it three more times. Her business accounts. Frozen. All of them."This can't be legal," she said.Rachel grabbed her laptop. Started typing. "Let me check the court filing. There has to be a motion. A hearing. Something.""Payroll is due Friday," Grace said. "That's three days from now. I have fifteen employees counting on those paychecks.""How much do you need?""Thirty-two thousand. For payroll. Plus another fifteen for suppliers. I have orders to fulfill. Materials to buy."Aiden pulled out his phone. "I can transfer—""No. I can't keep taking your money.""Grace—""No." Her voice was firm. "This is my business. I need to handle it."Rachel looked up from her laptop. "Found it. Emergency motion filed yesterday by Mason's legal team. Granted this morning by Judge Malcolm Brenner.""On what grounds?""They claim you're hiding marital assets in business accounts. That freezing them protects Mason's interests during the divorce.""That's insane! Those a
Grace was having breakfast when the courier arrived. Official-looking envelope. Legal papers."What is it?" Aiden asked.Grace opened it. Started reading. Her face went pale."He's suing me.""What?""Mason. He's filing a countersuit. Against me."She read faster. Her hands started shaking. Not from fear. From disbelief."This can't be real."Aiden took the papers. Read them himself. His jaw dropped. "He's claiming you committed fraud?""Yes. Says I faked the amnesia to entrap him. That it was all a calculated plan to gather evidence illegally.""That's insane.""There's more." Grace pointed to another section. "He's suing for alienation of affection. Says I had an affair with you during our marriage. That you deliberately seduced me to hurt him.""We didn't even start anything until after he'd already thrown you away!""He's also claiming mental cruelty. Says I emotionally abused him for years. Made him feel inadequate. Drove him to seek comfort elsewhere." Grace laughed bitterly. "H
Rachel stood at the courthouse steps. Cameras everywhere. Reporters shouting questions."Ms. Moore! Is it true you're filing divorce papers for Grace Hartwell?"Rachel held up a thick folder. "Yes. As of 9 AM this morning, Grace Hartwell has officially filed for divorce from Mason Hartwell on grounds of adultery, fraud, financial abuse, and emotional cruelty.""What is she asking for in the settlement?""Full return of all funds stolen from her business. Half of all marital assets. And sole ownership of her intellectual property and company, Tessa Designs.""Is she asking for alimony?""No. Ms. Hartwell wants a clean break. No ongoing financial ties to Mason Hartwell whatsoever.""What about the attempted murder charge against Sophia Bennett?""That's a separate criminal matter. But we will be presenting evidence that Mason Hartwell's abuse and manipulation of Ms. Bennett contributed to her mental breakdown."The reporters erupted with more questions. Rachel pushed through. Went insid
Grace couldn't sleep after the memory hit her. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The sun started to rise. She heard Aiden moving around in the living room.She got up and looked out the window. Across the snow, she could see Mason's cabin. The lights were off. His car was gone.He must have le
"You can't touch her!" Mason shouted again, his voice cracking with rage.Sophia immediately jumped into action, looping her arm through Mason's and pressing herself against his side. "Honey, are you joking?" Her voice was sweet, but there was an edge to it. "I'm your wife. Don't you want to play w
Seven Years AgoAiden stood outside the hotel ballroom. Tomorrow was Mason's wedding. The rehearsal dinner had just ended. Everyone was laughing and drinking inside.But Aiden couldn't smile.He had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.Mason had been acting strange all week. Aiden knew his brother.
Grace was sitting by the window when she heard car doors slam outside. She looked out and saw two women getting out of a taxi. Her heart jumped.Emma and Rachel.Her friends.Well, her real friends. Not like Sophia.Grace watched them pull suitcases from the trunk. Emma was wearing a bright red coa







