Chapter 12 - The Hidden Woman
The temperature in Tempe reached 112 degrees by 3:00 PM.
Inside the ultra-modern penthouse at the Lumina Tower, Tiffany Vance was packing two massive rimowa suitcases with silk dresses, diamond earrings, and designer shoes. The air conditioning was humming quietly, but Tiffany was sweating with anxiety.
The door burst open.
Mason stumbled into the apartment, disheveled, his eyes wild, smelling of sweat and stale alcohol.
“Tiffany! Pack your things, we have to leave!” Mason gasped, grabbing her arm. “The media is all over the motel! Chloe’s accounts got banned! Valerie released the security tape and people found out about Apex Media!”
Tiffany wrenched her arm out of his grip with sudden, shocking force. “Don't touch me, Mason!”
Mason blinked, startled. “Babe, what are you doing? We need to get across state lines to my cousin’s place in Nevada until my lawyers sort this out!”
“*Your* lawyers?” Tiffany laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that stripped away the sweet, docile persona Mason had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to cultivate. “What lawyers, Mason? You don't have a dime! You’re broke!”
Mason went rigid. “Who told you that?”
A woman stepped out from the penthouse kitchen, holding a glass of iced sparkling water.
It was Clara Morales.
Behind Clara stood two uniformed process servers and a forensic recovery agent holding an itemized clipboard.
“What the hell is this?” Mason yelled, backing toward the front door. “Who let you into this apartment?”
“I did,” Tiffany said coldly, walking over to Clara’s side. “Because unlike you, Mason, I’m not an idiot. Two hours ago, this woman came to my door with bank statements showing that every single dollar you used to pay my rent, buy my jewelry, and fund my trips was stolen from Valerie Thorne’s accounts.”
“Tiffany, no! I loved you! I built that company for us!” Mason pleaded, his voice cracking with pathetic desperation.
“You built nothing!” Tiffany sneered, crossing her arms. “You told me you were a high-rolling venture capitalist whose wife was an emotionally distant shut-in who wouldn't grant you a divorce! You told me the Tempe condo was bought in your name! You lied about everything! And now the police are tracing the Apex Media transfers!”
Clara stepped forward, handing a certified legal notice to Mason.
“Tiffany has formally agreed to a full cooperation agreement with Mrs. Thorne’s legal team,” Clara said with professional delight. “In exchange for immunity from civil conspiracy charges, Miss Vance has willingly surrendered all jewelry, luxury goods, and vehicles purchased with commingled funds over the last eighteen months. Including that gold Rolex on your wrist, Mason.”
Mason looked down at his watch, his chest heaving. “No… no, Valerie can't take this! This was a gift!”
“Purchased with check number 1042 drawn directly from the Meridian consulting reserve account,” Clara smiled. “Hand it over, Mr. Sterling, or the officers outside will add grand larceny to your active bail revocation hearing.”
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Trembling with humiliation, Mason unclasped the heavy gold watch and dropped it into Clara’s outstretched velvet bag.
***