After sending the email, I opened the photo album on my phone. I went through the pictures of all these years with Jason. From our college campus to our honeymoon in the Maldives, from the tiny basement where we started our tech startup to the celebration party the day the company went public. In every photo, his smile seemed genuinely happy. When had he changed?

Perhaps the human heart was never something eternal and immutable. Outside, the sun was beginning to rise. I closed the laptop. My decision was final. If they wanted to continue this farce, I would play along, but I would be the one writing the ending to this play.

Sister-in-law, I'm going to use this closet. I packed away your outdated clothes in the basement storage. Chloe's voice echoed from the master bedroom. From the corner of the hallway, I watched as this woman, 7 years younger than me, fluttered around my walk-in closet like a butterfly. She was wearing my two-piece Dior suit that I had bought last month.

And on her wrist, she sported the Cartier watch my mother-in-law had given me for our third wedding anniversary. "Do whatever you want," I replied, holding my mug of coffee. My voice was so calm, it surprised even me. Chloe didn't like my reaction and pouting deliberately raised her voice. Honey, look.

Valerie is a sweetheart, isn't she? She doesn't mind at all that I moved in. Jason walked out of the bathroom, his hair still dripping wet. He shot me an uncomfortable look and then said to get dressed. We have to go to the OB-GYN appointment.

Oh, I wish Valerie would come with us. After all, when the baby is born, he'll have to call her auntie. Chloe hung onto Jason's arm, looking at me with provocative eyes. My nails dug deeply into my palms, but my face maintained an elegant smile. I have an important meeting at the company today.

You two go ahead. Oh, by the way, I took a card out of my purse and handed it to Jason. Use this. It's the Lenox Hill VIP access card. You won't have to wait in line.

Jason was taken aback for a moment. He hadn't expected me to act so generously. Chloe snatched the card from his hand and said mockingly, "Wow, how thoughtful of my sister-in-law. But in the future, you won't have to worry about these things. I'll take good care of my man.

I watched their backs as they headed to the hospital together, and the smile slowly vanished from my face. I went back to the office, locked the door, and turned on the computer. The video call connected instantly. On the other side of the screen appeared Monica, my college friend who now lived in Zurich. "Valerie, are you absolutely sure about this?"

Monica asked, frowning. "More sure than ever. I brought up several files on the screen. I already have all the documentation prepared. "The minimum requirement for the Swiss investor visa is 1 million Swiss francs, correct?"

"Yes, correct." But will you be able to move the assets without Jason finding out? You run the company together. I smiled coldly and opened an encrypted file. Look at this, Monica.

This is the history of my personal investments over the last 5 years. Plus, there are the dividends I'm entitled to from the company. Jason doesn't even know the exact amount. And if we add the jewelry and antiques my father gave me as a wedding dowry. Once liquidated, the sum will far exceed that figure.

Monica whistled. You've been preparing for this more than prepared. It's an occupational hazard. When you work in finance for so long, you always prepare for the worst case scenario, though I never thought I'd have to use this emergency exit so soon. After hanging up, I opened my phone's gallery.

It was a video I had secretly recorded the night before. It showed Chloe in my mother-in-law's bedroom secretly trying on her jewelry. This greedy woman had no idea that every single one of her moves was being documented. At lunchtime, I met up with Sarah, a friend from high school at a restaurant near the office. Sarah currently works for the NYPD as a detective.

"Oh my god, Jason has lost his damn mind. Sarah nearly spilled her latte listening to my story." "And who is this Chloe girl? She's a new receptionist at our company," I said, stirring my coffee. It seems they hooked up 3 months ago when I was on a business trip.

Suddenly, Sarah lowered her voice. Wait a minute, Chloe. Does she happen to have long hair, a mole near her left eye, and drive a pink Mini Cooper? I snapped my head up. How do you know that?

Last month, there was a special vice sting targeting high-end prostitution at the Plaza Hotel. Her name was on the arrest list. Sarah searched her phone. Yep, that's her. Real name Crystal, alias Chloe.

Specialized in wealthy clients. I was on duty that night and took her statement. She insisted she was just on a date with her boyfriend. My fingers began to tremble uncontrollably. Are you sure it's the same person?

Absolutely. I still have her social security number from that report. Sarah grabbed my hand. Valerie, a woman like this didn't get close to Jason out of love. I guarantee you she has other motives.

I took a deep breath. Suddenly, the situation had become much more interesting. Sarah, I need you to do me a favor. Can you find out who else she's seeing? That's easy.

I can pull the security footage from the hotel. Sarah hesitated for a moment. But Valerie, what are you planning to do? Are you going to expose her right now? No, it's not time yet.

I looked out the window. The sunlight spilled across my face through the glass. I need to let them get a little more overconfident.

Back at the office, I went straight to the finance department. As CFO, I had the authority to review all account movements. Just as I expected over the last 3 months, Jason had diverted over $800,000 under the guise of corporate entertainment expenses. The bulk of it, $500,000, had been wired to the account of a real estate developer for a penthouse in Tribeca, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan. I copied all the data and saved it in an encrypted file.