My ex-husband called me with a chuckle, obviously very proud of him.
— I married the woman I’ve chosen in your place. Come attend our victory.
I lowered my eyes to the new-born baby who was sleeping peacefully against my chest.
— Sorry, I’m a little busy. I care for someone you have never even bothered to ask.
An icy silence settled.
Thirty minutes later, Ethan landed at the hospital, the face livid and trembling hands. He demanded to see the baby.
But when the doctor revealed to him the truth, his marriage suddenly became the least of his worries.
And my revenge that was just the start.
The phone rang while my son was asleep against me, her small fists clenched against my chest. At the other end of the wire, the voice, Ethan had this insurance arrogant of someone who thought he was untouchable.
— Claire, the wedding is tomorrow, ” he shouted. Bianca insisted to invite you. Then come and see us triumph.
I saw Noah through the glass of the service of neonatology. He was born seven weeks early, but, luckily, he was breathing now all alone.
— Sorry, ” I replied calmly. I’m busy taking care of someone you have never even bothered to ask.
A heavy silence settled.
— What did you just say ? he murmured.
I raccrochai.
Half an hour later, Ethan broke into the hospital of St. Matthew. He was still wearing his suit, but he had removed his tie. His face was pale. Bianca followed him, wearing an elegant dress of white silk, visibly furious that his rehearsal dinner is interrupted.
— Where is the baby ? asked Ethan in a commanding tone. It is my son ?
Dr. Elena Reyes stepped forward immediately.
— Mr. Cole, please lower the voice.
— I have the right to know !
I looked at him straight in the eyes.
— You had nine months to ask the question.
Ethan stared at Noah through the glass. For a brief moment, his gaze softens. Then his face closed.
— If it is really for me, I want a paternity test.
The doctor opened the medical record.
— This is not necessary. A DNA test carried out during pregnancy has already confirmed your authorship. Noah is your biological son.
Bianca’s mouth fell open.
But the doctor had not finished.
— Your son was born by emergency caesarean section after that Bennett has undergone a detachment of the placenta, caused by a violent trauma.
Ethan slowly turned to Bianca.
I saw her fingers tighten around her hand bag.
Dr. Reyes continued :
— The surveillance cameras of the hospital show your fiancée in the process of pushing Mrs. Bennett in the parking lot, three days ago.
— She had caused ! if took it to Bianca.
— I had you simply asked them to stop following me, ” I replied.
Ethan caught me suddenly by the arm.
— You’re not gonna tell it to the whole world.
I lowered my eyes to his hand.
He let me up immediately.
During our divorce, Ethan and I had repeated that I was weak, too emotional, and unable to succeed without him. He had forged my signature on documents of the company, transferred the money into secret accounts and I was left alone with my medical bills while he was enjoying his new life with Bianca.
He thought I had just signed up because I was wiped out.
But he didn’t know something.
For ten years, I had participated in the creation and management of the financial systems of the empire. I knew each account, each movement of money, and every secret that he thought he had carefully concealed.
And most of all, I hadn’t forgotten anything.
My lawyer was already on the ground floor with an investigator.
I had kept the bank statements, computer backups, voice messages, and legal documents which proved that the company that Ethan felt like hers belonged to me in reality since the beginning.
He had not got rid of his wife, weak and unable to defend themselves.
It was simply to declare war on his former expert accountant.
I addressed him with a slight smile.
— Your wedding is tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ll be there. I don’t want to miss out on.
To follow in the comments… 
The next morning, Ethan came back with flowers… and two lawyers.
The bouquet remained perched on the edge of the window.
— We can settle it quietly, ” he said. I pay all the expenses for Noah. In return, you sign a confidentiality agreement, the withdrawn your complaint for assault and confirmed to have surrendered voluntarily to your shares of the company.
Behind him, Bianca, sunglasses on his nose, smiled with arrogance.
— Accepts, Claire. You’ve already lost your husband, your house and your business.
I pulled the cover of Noah.
— Then why do you both look so nervous ?
A lawyer pushed the documents back to me. Before I can touch, my lawyer, Maya Chen, walked in with a folder even thicker.
— My client does not sign anything. On the other hand, my clients you can expect to receive subpoenas in court.
Bianca giggled.
— For what exactly ?
— Assault, tampering with evidence, false documents, embezzlement and conspiracy.
Maya opened her folder.
She revealed the transfers of Cole Dynamics to front companies linked to the brother of Bianca, as well as evidence showing that certain expenses had been paid with the money of the employee pension funds.
Then she laid in front of Ethan the comparison between her fake signature and the original retained by the bank.
Four months earlier, I had discovered the fraud through a retail strange in the accounts : Ethan ended almost always transfers personal by the number seventeen.
I had not said anything. I had quietly copied the servers, engaged an independent auditor and worked with financial investigators.
Every purchase extravagant had left a trace.
Ethan tried, however, to keep composure.
— The board of directors is with me.
— Non. It is with the one who holds the majority of voting rights.
Maya then came out of the original of the trust agreement Bennett.
My grandmother had funded the first patent of the company. The trust held 51 % of Cole Dynamics… and I was the sole beneficiary.
The purported assignment signed by me had never been validated.
The face of Ethan became livid.
— If you want me to destroy it, you destroy the future of our son !
— Non. I’ve just protect its future against you.
Six months later, Bianca was sentenced to four years in prison. Ethan écopa of seven years for fraud and embezzlement.
Their marriage, which had lasted only twelve minutes, was cancelled.
Cole Dynamics became Bennett Systems.
I salvaged every penny stolen from the employees and promoted those that Ethan had spread.
On the first anniversary of Noah, Maya asked me if I wished to be coming to the wedding.
I tightened my son against me.
— Non. It is the day when they thought they had won…
I smile.
— And when I finally recovered everything I needed.
