Chapter 3 - The Woman Beside Him
Ryan reached toward my phone but stopped when passengers turned to watch.
“Who are you calling?” he whispered.
I kept my eyes on him while our chief financial officer answered.
“Claire?”
“Revoke Ryan Morgan’s permissions immediately. Personal accounts, company travel systems, vendor portals, building access—everything connected to my authorization.”
Ryan’s breathing changed.
“Claire, hang up.”
I continued.
“Freeze any transfer requiring my approval. Preserve every login made under his credentials for the past twelve months.”
Chloe looked at him.
“What transfers?”
Ryan ignored her.
The flight attendant paused nearby, polite but visibly uncomfortable.
I ended the call and returned the phone to my purse.
Ryan stood halfway from his seat.
“Sit down,” I said.
The calmness in my voice frightened him more than shouting would have.
“You’re misunderstanding a business situation.”
“You told me you were flying to Portland.”
“The Denver meeting came up late.”
“With your secretary?”
Chloe’s embarrassment shifted into suspicion.
“You said Claire knew.”
Ryan’s eyes closed briefly.
That tiny reaction told me everything.
Chloe had known he was married, but he had convinced her I accepted the relationship—or that our marriage was already over.
I leaned closer.
“Which lie did he give you? That we were separated, or that I was too dependent to leave?”
Chloe stared at the floor.
Ryan lowered his voice.
“We can discuss this after landing.”
“No. After landing, you’ll discuss it with investigators.”
His face changed.
That was when I knew the affair was only the surface.
May you like
He was not afraid of losing me.
He was afraid of the audit.
