“It concerns a major compliance breach that threatens the firm’s liability.”

“I will bring the supporting documentation.”

I did not mention Ethan by name.

I did not need to.

Arthur would recognize the severity of the request from my tone alone.

I paused, my finger hovering over the send button.

The house was completely silent now, save for the hum of the refrigerator downstairs and the rain outside.

I clicked send.

The email vanished from my outbox.

I felt a cold wave of calm wash over me.

There was no turning back now.

I stood up, walked to the printer, and connected my phone.

The machine began to warm up, its gears groaning softly in the dark.

One by one, the pages of Ethan’s emails and ledger drafts began to slide into the tray.

The white paper looked stark against the dark wood of the room.

I watched the ink form the lines that would end my husband’s career.

Suddenly, I heard a floorboard creak in the hallway outside.

The sound was faint, but distinct.

I froze, my hand resting on the warm top of the printer.