1 My wife is the chief medical examiner for the city's Major Crimes Division. They call her the “Corpse Whisperer.” But when I was framed for a hit-and-run, she was the one who pointed the finger and swore I was the killer. She used a shoddy, hole-ridden autopsy report from some intern to throw me in prison. On the day of my sentencing, that same intern was flaunting his victory on social media: [Big thanks to my amazing mentor for trusting me! We finally put the bad guy away. Feeling like a true champion of justice today!] Blinded by rage, I declared my innocence right there in the courtroom. “I didn't hit anyone! That autopsy report is flawed!” To my shock, my wife, Clara, stormed up to me, her voice dripping with ice. “You bastard! Still trying to lie your way out of this?” “A life for a life! That's the law! If you ruin Tim’s reputation, I swear, I’ll haunt you even in death!” Seeing her twist the truth so shamelessly, I let out a bitter laugh. “Good. We’ll see who haunts whom.” “I’m not going down. But Carnegie Corp? It’s going bankrupt.” ... With the evidence now in doubt, the court was forced to postpone the final verdict. I had one week to clear my name. But I never imagined that a case with such obvious flaws would have every legal expert in the city running for the hills. Everyone knew what happened to those who openly crossed Clara Carnegie. The sheer absurdity of it almost made me laugh. I had just pulled out my phone when several trending topics popped up on the screen: [Genius M.E. Intern Tim Kerr Cracks Rainy Night Hit-and-Run, Gets Fast-Tracked to Full Position!] [The Dynamic Duo: Clara and Tim, a Power Couple in Forensics!] My hand tightened around the phone, my knuckles turning white. How dare Clara promote Tim at a time like this? It was more than a slap in the face to me, her husband; it was a public declaration of my guilt. Then, she brazenly liked and retweeted the post. [Welcome to the team, Tim. A little gift to celebrate. Keep up the great work!] The picture was of a Patek Philippe watch with a price tag of over two hundred thousand dollars. The internet exploded. [Damn! A power move right there. A watch worth a couple hundred grand, just like that. I'm so jealous!] [I heard he's cracked a ton of cases and he hasn't even graduated. Is he the new prodigy of the forensics world?] [Young, talented… no wonder his mentor dotes on him] The comments were a flood of praise and admiration, hailing Tim as some kind of star. No one cared about my situation, and the truth of the case was completely ignored. The online chatter was deafening. I deleted the apps. Out of sight, out of mind. But it wasn't long before the CEO of Carnegie Corp called. “Mr. Vance, you need to sign the equity transfer agreement, and soon. Once you're behind bars, it'll be too late.” I frowned. These vultures really believed every rumor they heard. “Dream on.” My tone was cold, an absolute refusal. He clearly wasn't expecting such defiance and flew into a rage. “You little prick, you’ve got a hell of a nerve for a man about to be convicted!” “I don’t care if you like it or not, this is a standard risk-avoidance clause in your contract. If you don’t sign, I’m reporting this directly to Ms. Carnegie!” Did he really think he could threaten me with Clara? “You do that.” I didn't mince words before hanging up. He called back a dozen times, persistent, until I finally blocked his number. It seemed my leniency with Clara had made her forget her place. To risk my life for some boy toy, and then try to snatch my company's shares? What a joke. Since no one in the city dared to touch this case, I had to call in the big guns. She agreed on the spot, no persuasion needed. Just as I hung up, feeling a wave of relief, another call came through. It was Clara. “Liam! Why the hell did you block Mr. Wallace? Have you signed the equity papers?” “You can’t even save yourself, and you’re still clinging to that stock?” Her frustration crackled through the phone. I tapped my fingers on the desk and let out a cold chuckle. “Clara, you know better than anyone whether I hit that person.” “The verdict isn’t even in, and you’re already trying to grab my shares. It’s a bad look, even for you.” Because of her high-profile profession, Carnegie Corp had always been officially registered under my name. But in seven years of marriage, I had never taken a dime in salary, pouring my heart and soul into building her family's company. I took Carnegie Corp from a small, unknown business to a publicly traded enterprise. The hundreds of millions in annual revenue all went straight into her account. But from this day forward, I was done being the fool. My words must have struck a nerve. Clara’s voice shot up. “What’s that supposed to mean? Since when do you have the right to question my professional judgment?” “Isn’t Tim’s report enough to convict you? If you don’t want to give up the shares, fine, but don’t make up such a pathetic excuse!” “And don’t you forget, the company is mine. You have no right to fight me for it!” So now she wanted to draw a line in the sand. “Clara, you truly are hopelessly naive,” I replied nonchalantly. “I built Carnegie Corp from the ground up. Seventy percent of the shares are in my name. What makes you think you stand a chance against me?” She was stunned into silence. After a long pause, she finally managed to stammer, “Honey, we’ve been married for so long. There’s no ‘yours’ or ‘mine.’” I just shook my head with a quiet scoff. Realizing her aggressive approach wasn’t working, her tone softened. “You’re just mad I didn’t cover for you with this case, aren’t you?” “But it was official business! You made such a huge mistake, I was terrified! And you didn’t even try to comfort me.” She knew my weaknesses. Her voice cracked as she tried to coax me. “Liam, I know you didn’t mean to hit anyone, but it happened. You should focus on getting a lighter sentence.” “I’ve already moved Tim to my team. Don’t worry, we’ll provide favorable evidence for you at the next hearing.” “Just sign the equity transfer agreement first, so the company isn’t dragged down with you.” I couldn’t stomach another word. Just as I was about to cut her off, a man’s voice drifted through the phone. “Clara, maybe I should just apologize to Liam. It’s all my fault. I hate that I’m making you two fight.” A cruel smile crept onto my lips. “Dr. Carnegie, you should probably go comfort your protégé. Don’t keep him waiting.” I hung up before she could respond, then blocked her number and let out a long, deep breath. I got in my car and drove, not stopping. My phone buzzed incessantly. One by one, partners sent contract termination notices. I knew Clara would publicize this. If she couldn't have it, she'd make sure I couldn't either. Angry messages flooded in. [Vance, terminate the contract now! You’re a goddamn criminal, who the hell wants to be associated with you!] [Give me my money back, you bastard! Don’t you dare drag the Hamiltons down with you when you’re rotting in jail!] [Even your wife can’t save you. Forget about a comeback. Just pray for a lenient sentence.] On top of that, a message came from the victim’s family. [You money-grubbing murderer! I’ll kill you with my own hands to avenge my brother!] I ignored them all. A bunch of clowns. After years of navigating the cutthroat business world, if I couldn't handle a storm like this, I had no business being a CEO. I stopped the car by the ocean. The salty wind cleared my head. It was time for Clara and me to have a final reckoning. Just then, my assistant rushed over, his face pale with panic. “Mr. Vance, the Madam has teamed up with the other shareholders. They’ve… they’ve removed you as CEO.” My fist clenched. “She dares?” “Madam Carnegie… she’s already holding a press conference,” he stammered. A surge of hot fury rushed through me, veins popping on my temples. The audacity of that woman! I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down. When I spoke, my voice was terrifyingly steady. “Freeze all our joint accounts. Draft the divorce papers.” “Send them to my email along with the equity transfer agreement.” My assistant looked confused. “Mr. Vance, Carnegie Corp is your life’s work. Are you really going to just hand it over?” “You could wait until you’re released! You could make a comeback!” I shot him a look so sharp it could cut glass, and he immediately lowered his head, silent. My phone screen lit up. A new post from Tim Kerr appeared. [Oh no, my mentor is spoiling me rotten! An honorary seat on the Carnegie Corp board for my birthday!] In the accompanying video, he was dressed in a tailored suit, beaming at his birthday party, the picture of success. It was obvious who had granted him such a privilege. I didn't hesitate. I floored it and headed straight for the party. The venue was dazzling, with high-profile guests crowding the entrance. The roar of my engine shattered the elegant atmosphere as I slammed on the brakes, my car screeching to a halt sideways right in front of the main stage. The crowd screamed and scattered. Tim’s face went pale. He shot up from his seat. “Liam? Are you insane?!” “Wasn’t killing one person enough? Do you want to take us all down with you?” Seeing his arrogant expression, I just smirked. I got out of the car, calmly walked up to him, and bent down to pick up a fallen steak knife, offering it to him. “I came to celebrate your birthday. Why so jumpy?” He stared at me, a flash of pure hatred in his eyes. Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist and pointed the sharp blade at his own throat. “Liam! Don’t you touch him!” Clara screamed, rushing over from behind me and shoving me away with all her might. Tim, who had been so smug moments before, collapsed into Clara’s arms, breathing shallowly. “Clara… I almost… I almost never saw you again.” Clara gently touched the red mark on his neck, her eyes blazing with a fire that could burn me to ash. “Liam! What is wrong with you?” “Assaulting someone while out on bail? Are you in a hurry to die?” I leisurely pulled out a silk pocket square and wiped my hands. Before I could speak, Tim interrupted, his voice choked with fake tears. “Clara, it’s okay. I’m sure Mr. Vance didn’t mean it.” “Please don’t call the police. I don’t want to be the reason he gets into more trouble.” He clutched his neck, his eyes filled with hurt. I chuckled. “Stop the theatrics. The scratch is on your left. Why are you holding your right?” “You’d better get to a hospital before it heals on its own.” My mocking gaze pinned him. Tim’s eyes darted away, unable to meet mine. Clara, however, couldn’t stand it. She pointed a trembling finger at me. “Liam, are you sick in the head?” “You’re the one who ran someone over, and you have the audacity to harass Tim? When you do something wrong, you face the consequences!” “Stop acting like a rabid dog, snapping at everyone. It’s disgusting.” I couldn’t believe her hypocrisy. I watched their little drama play out, my patience finally gone. Slap. Two documents hit the floor at Clara’s feet, papers scattering everywhere. “I don’t give a damn about the company.” “As for you… I have no use for something so tainted.” Clara bent down to pick up the papers. When she saw the words "Divorce Agreement" and "Equity Transfer," her face went deathly pale. “But that’s not what you should be worried about right now,” I added slowly. “That fabricated autopsy report from Tim? I’ve already sent it to the state’s highest court.” “You two should start thinking about how you’re going to explain that to a judge.” As I straightened up, I saw with satisfaction that Tim’s face was ashen. “I’ll see you both in court.” With that, I turned, got back in my car, and drove away. The moment I was gone, Tim dropped the act. He grabbed Clara’s sleeve, his voice shaking. “Clara, what do we do now?” Her face was a dark mask of fury. She ripped the divorce papers to shreds. “What are you afraid of? As long as I’m here, he’ll never overturn this case!” After leaving, I went straight to the airport to pick someone up. Once we had discussed the case, I started the process of cutting ties with Carnegie Corp. A Fortune 500 company wasn’t worth me fighting tooth and nail for. For years, Carnegie Corp had been propped up by my family’s resources. It was time to collect that debt, with interest. But Clara was completely oblivious. She was too busy trying to get Tim off the hook. She used her authority to hold the victim’s body, blocking any further examination, and leaked false information to the press. To keep me from interfering, she paid the victim’s family three million dollars to stage a protest. They set up wreaths outside my villa and held a round-the-clock vigil, wailing for the cameras. The internet erupted with a firestorm of hate. I was branded a murderer, and the public was calling for my head. "A life for a life! Do rich people get to walk free? Is the law only for the poor?" "I hope that murderer and his entire family rot in hell!" "You can just tell he's a monster by looking at him. Scum like that should be drawn and quartered!" Evelyn Reed pushed a tablet toward me, her expression unreadable as she recited the comments. She wasn’t just the top forensic pathologist I had flown in to help; she was also Clara’s fiercest rival. Their animosity went all the way back to university. Evelyn had always been one step ahead, until Clara started dating me. For reasons I never understood, Evelyn then left to pursue further studies abroad. I shrugged, feigning indifference. She clicked her tongue at my attitude and got straight to her analysis. “The deceased suffered multiple fractures and clear signs of secondary trauma. This wasn’t caused by a single impact.” “Furthermore, your car’s dashcam shows you passed the scene at 10:48 PM, but the estimated time of death is around 9:00 PM.” “Which means…” she adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and looked up at me, “he was already dead before your car ever got there.” A chill slithered up my spine. As a top medical examiner, there was no way Clara didn’t know this. Yet she signed off on Tim’s report, a report riddled with amateur mistakes. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Evelyn sighed deeply. “Clara must be losing her mind. How could she make such a rookie mistake? Isn't she afraid of being reported?” “Who is this Tim Kerr that she’d be willing to risk everything for him?” I stood frozen, speechless. With the truth laid bare before me, I couldn’t understand it either. How important was Tim to her? I had been by her side for ten years. I watched her grow from a timid girl who trembled at the thought of dissecting a rabbit into the nation’s most renowned forensic pathologist. I watched her climb to the pinnacle of her career, and somewhere along the way, she pushed me further and further away. Now, she no longer needed me. She was busy protecting someone else with everything she had. Seeing my silence, Evelyn pressed on. “Have you made up your mind?” I looked at her, startled, then understood. She was worried I might go soft on Clara. “Of course.” She shot me a sharp look, her tone severe. “Even if you have lingering feelings, I won’t show any mercy.” “Aiding and abetting, perjury… any one of those charges is enough to put her away for a long time.” I nodded, a cold, meaningful smile playing on my lips. “Don’t worry. The show is just getting started.” At that same moment, the stock market screens glowed red. Carnegie Corp’s stock was in a free fall. I was already looking forward to seeing the look on Clara’s face when she heard her company was bankrupt. Right before the trial was set to begin, I dropped another bombshell, a piece of news so explosive it would stun everyone.
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