Meanwhile, he had missed my birthday three years in a row.
I sat in my office for almost an hour.
Then I called my attorney.
Not a divorce attorney yet.
My personal attorney.
Her name was Helena Morris.
She had handled my mother’s estate.
She also knew the Pinnacle Crest shareholder agreement better than almost anyone.
I said.
“I think Christopher is having an affair.”
She was quiet.
Then.
“Do you have proof?”
“Not enough.”
“What do you have?”
I explained.
Payments.
Trips.
Gwen.
Helena listened.
Then said.
“Don’t confront him yet.”
“I know.”
“You sound like you already planned to.”
“I did.”
She sighed.
“Good.”
Then she asked.
“Do you still have read access to international finance?”
“Yes.”
“Download everything legally available to you.”
“Already started.”
“Lorelei.”
“Yes?”
“Do not access anything outside your rights.”
“I won’t.”
That mattered.
I did not want revenge.
I wanted truth.
Over the next two weeks, I built a file.
I found no direct romantic messages.
But I found enough circumstantial evidence to make the personal part obvious.
The corporate part worried me more.
Christopher had authorized more than four hundred thousand dollars in payments that benefited Gwen’s family.
Some could be justified.
Some could not.
One loan to her brother carried no repayment schedule.
Another vendor contract went to a company formed two weeks before it received the work.
Then I saw something worse.
A condo lease in Buenos Aires.
Luxury tower.
Two-bedroom unit.
Paid partly through corporate housing.
Official occupant.
Christopher Hayes.
Secondary approved occupant.
