Chapter 7 - The Unseen Leverage
Warren stared down at the new stack of papers, his breath catching in his throat.
Miller pulled them closer, adjusting his glasses as he read the heading. "The state tax audit... federal compliance division... offshore accounts registered under Celeste’s maiden name..."
Miller looked up at Warren, horror dawning in his eyes. "Warren, tell me this is a forgery. If the IRS audit division connects these offshore wire transfers to your firm's retainer accounts, we’re all looking at federal indictments for mail and wire fraud. Not just disbarment—actual prison time."
Warren’s hands began to shake visibly. He gripped the edge of the leather chair, his knuckles turning stark white. He looked up at me, and for the first time since I had walked through my front door yesterday afternoon, the mask of the untouchable corporate patriarch was completely gone.
"How... how did you get these?" Warren choked out.
"When you and Celeste broke into my house yesterday," I said, my voice cutting through the silent room like a razor, "you left behind a trail of breadcrumbs in your digital portfolio. A smart lawyer doesn't leave his firm's server credentials cached on an external drive when he’s rifling through a service member's private property. It took a friend of mine at Fort Liberty about twenty minutes to map the entire network."
Olivia stood quietly behind me, still holding little Miles, who was chewing contentedly on the edge of a muslin blanket. She looked at Warren with a mixture of shock and profound disbelief, as if she were finally seeing the monster behind the tailored suit for the first time.
"You... you hacked us," Ethan whispered, staring at me as if I were a ghost.
"I intelligence-gathered," I corrected sharply. "There's a difference. And now, we're going to terms."
Warren swallowed hard, his throat dry. "What... what do you want?"
"Three things," I said, holding up a finger for each. "First: a signed, unconditional, irrevocable quitclaim deed releasing any and all claims to my house, filed and notarized by end of business today. Second: an immediate, uncontested divorce settlement granting Olivia full, sole custody of Miles, with zero spousal support obligations on her part. And third: Ethan signs over every last cent of his remaining personal accounts to Olivia as retroactive child support, effective immediately."
"That's extortion!" Warren screamed, half-rising from his chair before Miller grabbed his arm and yanked him back down.
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"Warren, shut your mouth and listen to her!" Miller hissed, his voice frantic. "If she walks out of these doors and hands this folder to the federal prosecutor, you won't have a law license, a building, or a bank account left to argue over! You'll be wearing an orange jumpsuit by Tuesday!"
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