CHAPTER 32
Nina couldn’t afford to make a single mistake. Nolan had been clear: Frank couldn’t find out about any of it yet.
So they had a plan.
She drove to a shopping mall. Frank’s people were always watching her—but they never got close. They didn’t walk behind her, didn’t enter stores, didn’t hover in sight. They stayed back, observing from a distance—usually parked near a restaurant entrance, trying to blend in.
And that was exactly what she intended to use.
The underground parking garage was packed. She deliberately chose a spot surrounded on all sides—no empty spaces nearby. That way, the tail would have to hunt for parking themselves, giving her a cushion of time. They wouldn’t be able to follow immediately.
She killed the engine and got out at once. No hesitation.
The elevators were all the way across the garage, and she needed to reach them fast.
Her heart pounded hard in her chest, but she didn’t let it show. She moved calmly past the cars, walking straight toward the elevators.
The elevator doors slid open, and she slipped inside.
Nina exhaled.
Phase one: complete.
A white sedan was already waiting at the main entrance. She climbed in quickly and shut the door.
Behind the wheel sat a man in his early forties, wearing a dark jacket. He gave her a quick, focused nod.
“Alex,” he introduced himself briefly, eyes still on the road.
Nolan had said he could be trusted.
“Okay. Let’s go,” Nina replied, settling back.
They pulled away smoothly, and for the first time that day, she felt like she could breathe freely.
At the medical center, her anxiety flared. She was terrified they would actually declare her mentally unstable. Relaxing felt impossible.
She sat in the doctor’s office, staring at the white walls, doing everything she could not to betray her anxiety.
The fear was irrational—she knew that. But the fear was there, clawing at her.
What if she really was broken?
What if Frank had convinced everyone—even her—so thoroughly over the years that no one would believe otherwise now?
Her fingers tightened around the armrests. She exhaled slowly.
“You’re nervous,” the doctor observed calmly.
He was an older man, glasses perched on a thin frame.
She managed a smile.
“It’d be strange if I weren’t.”
He studied her closely, as if reading every unspoken fear.
“Don’t worry. We’ll start with basic assessments. You don’t need to prove you’re sane, Nina. You just need to be yourself.”
She nodded. Just be herself. A couple of hours later, she was done. She took the elevator down to the garage again. It was still crowded.
She got into her car and started the engine—but the moment she pulled out, she spotted a familiar black Mercedes.
Tomorrow she’d go to a spa. Exit through the service door. Repeat the same maneuver. The key was not getting caught.
The next two weeks were going to be pure hell.
It felt like she’d stepped into some kind of criminal underworld. Except the crime boss wasn’t a stranger. It was her own husband.
***
Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out.
It was Nolan.
“We need to meet,” he said without preamble. His voice was strictly business.
She exhaled and closed her eyes for a moment.
“Okay. Where and when?”
“How about dinner?”
She frowned slightly. Dinner? He usually asked her to stop by his warehouse on the docks.
“I’m fine with that,” she said. “Where and when?”
“Any time,” he replied calmly. “I’ve got a private room reserved at a place. No one will see or hear us there.”
Of course. Very Nolan. He always planned everything carefully.
“Perfect. An hour from now?”
“That works.”
She ended the call and set her phone down.
Her head was still buzzing—with the chaos of Frank, Daphne, and Jasper. But there was no choice. If she wanted to win this game, she had to keep moving.
She got out of the car and lifted her gaze to the restaurant’s facade. The evening city glowed with lights reflected in the massive glass panels.
The hostess at the stand glanced up politely.
“Good evening.”
“I have a reservation,” Nina said. “Under Nolan Cross.”
He nodded, checked his tablet, then looked up.
“Of course. Right this way.”
She followed him past the main dining floor. The place was clearly expensive. They stopped in front of a wooden door at the end of a quiet hallway.
“Your guest is waiting,” the host said.
She took a breath, then pushed the door open. One step inside—and she froze. Jasper was sitting at the table.
Their eyes met instantly, and she knew at once he hadn’t expected to see her either. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he recovered quickly, tilting his head slightly, as if assessing her.
“Nina,” he drawled, leaning back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
What was happening?
Where was Nolan?
Why was Jasper here?
The door shut behind her, cutting her off from the outside world.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, holding his gaze.
Jasper lifted an eyebrow, as if asking the same question.
“I could ask you that,” he said calmly. “I came here for dinner.”
Her lips pressed together.
“And where’s Nolan?” she asked, steadying her breath. “He scheduled a meeting with me here.”
Jasper blinked, his expression shifting.
“Oh,” he said evenly, like something had just clicked. “That explains why he didn’t want to push our meeting to a later time.”
She frowned, still standing by the door, inexplicably unable to move closer.
“What do you mean?”
Jasper smirked, his eyes sliding over her.
“He said he was busy. Now I see exactly how he spends his free time,” he replied, tilting his head slightly.
Her heart gave an odd, sharp jolt.
Did Jasper think something was going on between her and Nolan? Otherwise, why those pointed remarks?
“Sit down, since you’re already here,” he said easily, casually—like she’d come for him. “Nolan should be here any minute. He’s usually very punctual when it comes to meetings with women.”
She didn’t move. She stood frozen by the door, tension coiling tight inside her. Jasper watched her closely, but she couldn’t read what was going on behind his eyes.
The room was clearly soundproofed. Too private. Too intimate.
No. She wasn’t staying here alone with him.
“I… need to use the restroom first,” she said, looking away. “Just to freshen up.”
Jasper smiled, but didn’t comment.
She turned, reached for the door, and at that exact moment, it flew open, and she collided straight into someone’s chest.
She caught the sharp scent of tobacco mixed with expensive cologne.
Nina lifted her head.
Nolan stood right in front of her, grinning like nothing was out of place.
“Oh, Nina. You’re already here.”
She swallowed. Then his gaze slid past her shoulder, and she caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes.
So he hadn’t set this up after all. Looks like Jasper really had shown up uninvited.
“And what are you doing here?” Nolan asked Jasper with a frown.
“I figured you chose a date over business,” Jasper replied coolly. “So I tracked you down. You always bring women here—it wasn’t hard to guess where to find you.”
Nolan chuckled, shook his head, but didn’t answer. Instead, he walked into the private room, closed the door behind them, and gestured for Nina to sit.
“Come on, Nina. Don’t stand in the doorway. Sit.”
She hesitated, then lowered herself into the chair. Crossed one leg over the other, leaned back.
Nolan turned to Jasper, who clearly had no intention of leaving.
“This isn’t a date—it’s a business meeting,” Nolan said lightly. Then he added with a smile,
“But if you’re curious about the details, feel free to stay. You’re kind of an interested party too, aren’t you?”
Jasper narrowed his eyes. Was Nolan implying something between her and Jasper? God, did he know about what had happened years ago?
No… if he did, he wouldn’t be joking like this.
“I’m not involved in this matter,” Jasper said flatly. “I’m here to continue the conversation we started yesterday.”
Nolan smirked and opened the menu, but Nina could feel his attention on her—watching, enjoying her growing discomfort.
She waited a beat, then sighed heavily and placed her hands on the table.
“Can we get to the point?” she asked evenly. “I don’t have much time, and I’d prefer any outsiders leave the room.”
Jasper raised an eyebrow slowly.
“Outsiders?”
She met his gaze directly.
“Yes. And I’m sorry, Jasper, but you’re not needed here.”
Nolan grinned and shook his head.
“Well, look at that, Garth. A woman just shut you down—mercilessly.”
Jasper shot him a dark look, stayed still for a moment longer, then exhaled slowly. He pushed his chair back, stood up, and headed for the door.
She finally let herself relax when it closed behind him. But only briefly. She turned to Nolan.
“So. Why did you ask me to meet?”
“The evaluation results will be ready soon,” Nolan said calmly, leaning forward. “Which means it’s time for phase two.”
Something tightened inside her.
“Phase two?”
Nolan nodded.
“We need a reason to trigger an audit of Frank Osborne’s company.”
She blinked, not quite following.
“An audit?”
“Yes.” He set the menu aside and leaned back. “Someone has to initiate it. Ideally—through a formal complaint.”
“A complaint?”
She repeated the word, still unsure where this was going.
“It’s simple, Nina.” He laced his fingers together, looking at her with a faint smile.
“In any large company—especially one like your husband’s—there are always financial irregularities. Embezzlement. Fake tenders. Money siphoned through shell companies. It’s only a matter of time before someone points to the right spot.”
She stayed silent, processing.
“But who can actually start an audit?”
“The IRS,” Nolan said with a shrug. “If they receive a complaint from an employee or a business partner, an audit usually follows pretty quickly.”
Her lips pressed together.
“You’re suggesting I find someone willing to report him?”
Nolan smiled.
“Find? I doubt you’ll need to look very hard. I’m sure Frank has plenty of enemies right in his own office.”
She leaned back, exhaling slowly.
“Is that… legal?”
Nolan snorted softly.
“Filing a complaint with the IRS? Completely legal—if there are legitimate grounds. This move helps us push your husband out of the company. And once the audit starts, fraud and financial crime charges won’t be far behind.”
She looked away, thinking. Could Robert Stanfield work? No. She didn’t want to drag him into this. He’d retired quietly after years of service.
“You’ve got someone in mind, don’t you?” Nolan asked, watching her closely.
She stayed quiet. Then a name flashed in her mind.
“Tanya Graves,” she said.
“And who’s that?”
“The former CFO,” Nina replied, running her fingers along the table. “She worked for my father for nearly ten years. After his death, Frank fired her. I think she discovered something she wasn’t supposed to.”
She remembered clearly—about a year, maybe a little more, Frank had been furious all the time, cursing Tanya, calling her a pain in the ass who wouldn’t back off.
“And where is she now?”
“I don’t know. Last I heard, she was contesting her dismissal in court.”
Nolan smiled, satisfied.
“See? And you were worried we had no candidates.”
Nina let out a quiet breath.
“So what’s next?”
“We find her,” Nolan said. “And you talk to her.”
She snapped her gaze up.
“Me?”
Nolan leaned in. His voice softened, but the resolve in his eyes didn’t waver.
“Yes. Because if I approach her with this, she’ll shut the door in my face. But you—you’re her former boss’s wife. The injured party. It’ll be easier for you to convince her to talk. You’re both in the same boat.”
She pressed her lips together, thinking.
“That’s risky.”
“It’s necessary.”
She stayed quiet, running through every possible outcome.
“All right,” she finally said. “Find her.”
Nolan smiled, pleased.
“Already working on it.”