“I’m not talking about money owed to banks. I’m talking about fraud. Market manipulation from fifteen years ago. The takeover of Carter & Blake Investments.”
The name hit Michael like a distant echo.
That deal had been his first major victory. The one that had launched his empire.
“What does that have to do with Claire?” he asked quietly.
Claire stepped forward.
“Michael… what you did ruined many families.”
“It was legal business,” he replied.
“No,” Aaron interrupted. “You manipulated the market and wiped out small investors. I have proof.”
He placed a thick envelope on the coffee table.
“Emails, internal records, testimonies. Everything.”
Michael stared at the envelope.
Aaron continued.
“Your wife is the daughter of one of those investors.”
Michael slowly turned toward Claire.
“Your father?” he whispered.
Claire nodded.
“His name was Daniel Price,” she said through tears. “He invested everything he had. When your deal destroyed the company, he lost his home, his savings… everything.”
The relief in her eyes finally made sense.
It wasn’t the relief of a hidden affair.
It was the relief of truth finally surfacing.
“You married me for this?” Michael asked.
Claire looked at him calmly.