Chapter 9 - Natalie's AllianceThat evening, Natalie met me at a quiet, dimly lit bistro on the outskirts of the city. She looked nervous, glancing toward the door every time the bell chimed.
"Julian is getting suspicious," she said, taking a sip of her white wine. "He noticed some files were missing from his home office. He asked me if I knew anything about it."
"Are you safe, Natalie?" I asked, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. "If you feel threatened, you can come stay with me. My building has 24/7 security now."
"I'm okay for now," she said, though her pale face suggested otherwise. "But I need to get out, Valerie. I want to file for divorce, but Julian has threatened to take my kids and leave me penniless. All our assets are tied up in the family trust, and his father controls everything."
"Not for long," I said, leaning in closer. "I had my forensic accountants look over the files you gave me. The family trust is heavily subsidized by Vanguard Developments. And Vanguard Developments is currently hiding a massive offshore account in the Cayman Islands to avoid paying taxes and settling their structural defect lawsuits."
Natalie’s eyes widened. "Is that illegal?"
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"Extremely," I said. "It’s tax evasion and corporate fraud on a federal level. If we hand this over to the IRS and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the entire trust will be frozen. The court will appoint an independent receiver to audit their assets. Richard won't be able to hide a single dollar. You will get your fair share of the settlement, and Julian won't have the money to fight you in court."
Natalie let out a long, shaky breath. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away, replaced by a cold, determined smile. "Let’s burn it down, Valerie."
