He called me repeatedly.
My old number no longer worked.
Eventually, he reached Raymond’s office.
“Genevieve, please. Let me explain. I made a mistake.”
“Which part was the mistake, Julian? The public wedding, using my father’s house as collateral, or transferring millions to Victoria?”
“I was confused.”
“No. Those were decisions.”
His voice hardened.
“I won’t sign the divorce.”
“You publicly held a wedding with another woman while we were still legally married. You don’t get to decide whether I stay.”
I ended the call.
That same afternoon, Victoria arrived at Julian’s office demanding that he rescue her design company from the asset freeze. Instead, a process server arrived with legal papers connected to the investigation into the financial transfers.
Victoria panicked.
Then she placed one hand over her stomach.
“You can’t abandon me now, Julian.”
He stared at her.
“I’m pregnant.”
Julian had already lost control of the house, the money, and his marriage.
Now the woman he had publicly chosen over me had given him one more reason to believe walking away from her might no longer be simple.
Part 3 – Victoria’s Pregnancy Announcement Couldn’t Stop the Financial Investigation
Julian stared at Victoria after she announced that she was six weeks pregnant. She apparently expected the news to pull him back to her side, but instead of celebrating, Julian questioned why she had waited until the financial investigation began to tell him.
“I wanted to be certain,” Victoria insisted.
“And what exactly do you expect me to do now?”
Her expression changed.
“I’m your wife.”
“Not legally.”
That was the reality neither of them could escape. Julian had staged an extravagant wedding with Victoria in front of guests, photographers, and reporters, but he had never divorced me, which meant their ceremony had never created the marriage they publicly claimed to have.
Victoria began crying.
“You promised me you would take care of everything after the ceremony.”
“Everything changed.”
“Because of Genevieve?”
Julian did not answer.
His silence apparently told Victoria enough. The man who had promised her a new life was now watching his company, finances, and reputation collapse under scrutiny, and he was no longer willing to guarantee that he could protect her from the consequences.
Two weeks later, Raymond brought the completed forensic audit to my private penthouse.
The investigators had traced more than $15 million in unauthorized transfers from Vance Global’s parent trust into the shell company connected to Victoria. Some money had entered real-estate projects, while other funds had allegedly financed luxury purchases and accounts associated with members of her family.
“We have enough documentation to request Julian’s permanent removal from the board,” Raymond told me.
I studied the report.
“When is the annual shareholders’ meeting?”
“Two months from now.”
“Then we do it there.”
Those two months were not spent planning revenge.
My body was still recovering from major surgery, and Dr. Gabriel Vance, the cardiothoracic specialist overseeing my rehabilitation, repeatedly reminded me that surviving the operation meant very little if I refused to give myself time to heal.
“You need sleep, proper meals, and less stress,” Gabriel told me during one appointment. “Your heart survived the emergency. Now give it a chance to recover.”
“I still have things to finish.”
“You’ll have plenty of time to finish them if you take care of yourself first.”
Unlike everyone surrounding the corporate investigation, Gabriel rarely asked about Julian or the headlines. He cared whether my incision hurt, whether I could walk without becoming exhausted, and whether I was following the rehabilitation plan.
By the night of the annual shareholders’ meeting, I was finally strong enough to attend.
I entered the ballroom carrying a thin leather portfolio containing the forensic audit. Julian was speaking with several senior board members when he saw me, and his expression immediately changed.
I took my place beside Raymond at the executive table.
When shareholder motions opened, I stood.
“I control twenty-three percent of Vance Global’s voting shares through the Sterling Estate. I am requesting an immediate board vote regarding Julian Vance’s position as CEO based on the financial findings distributed tonight.”
Copies of the audit moved around the table.
Julian rushed toward the microphone.
“Genevieve, please. This is a private family matter.”
“It stopped being private when company funds were transferred into an account connected to Victoria.”
The board reviewed the financial records.
Then the vote began.
Julian watched one hand after another rise.
The result was unanimous.
He was removed as CEO.
An hour later, Julian followed me outside and begged my security team to let him speak with me.
“Are you happy now?” he demanded. “Was destroying me what you wanted?”
I looked at him.
“No. Surviving made me happy. Getting my life back gave me peace. What happened tonight is accountability.”
Then Julian said something that proved he still did not understand why I had truly walked away.
“I didn’t know you were dying.”
I stopped beside my car.
Because I was finally ready to remind him exactly how many chances he had been given to find out.
