“But why put it in Chloe’s name?” I asked. “If he wants the money, why give it to her?”

“He isn’t giving it to her,” Melanie said. “He has sole signature authority on her account. She probably doesn’t even know it exists.”

She leaned closer, the scent of her expensive perfume cutting through the diner air.

“Lucas is a coward, Anne,” she said softly. “If the auditors flag the consulting fees, the trail leads to my stolen identity. If the police follow the actual cash, it ends in Chloe’s lap.”

The horror of it settled into my joints.

Lucas hadn’t just seduced my sister to hurt me, or to find a younger, more compliant partner.

He had chosen her because she was the perfect shield.

“He’s setting her up,” I whispered.

“Completely,” Melanie said. “If the firm prosecutes, Chloe goes to prison. Lucas walks away with clean hands and a sob story about how his wife’s sister ruined his life.”

I looked down at the paper again, the black ink blurring before my eyes.

My sister had betrayed me in the worst way possible.