That evening Aaron returned to his dark and empty apartment where Jasmine confronted him about the sudden corporate investigation. She was furious about his persistent refusal to commit to a future with her. Without the protective shield of his unquestioned authority he lashed out at her. Jasmine finally realized that he had never intended to choose either of us. He merely wanted both of us to wait on his terms forever. She left him that night to face the silence he created himself. A few days later I returned to our house with my parents to pack my personal belongings. I found Aaron waiting in the living room looking tired and desperate for a conversation. I refused to let him shift the blame onto my reaction. I reminded him of all the nights I had waited up preparing his meals and keeping a clean house while he spent his time at hotels. I packed my books and my grandmothers jewelry while leaving behind the expensive furniture and the wine collection. I absolutely refused to keep using my love as a reason to stay in a home where I was no longer respected.
A week after I walked out of that house Nathan called me into his office to reveal a shocking discovery. He had uncovered a massive secret regarding the complex ownership structure of my husbands company. Nathan displayed a confidential document showing that Mercer Ridge Capital was directly involved in a major transaction with Prescott Global. Years earlier an investment vehicle associated with my grandfathers estate had participated in a financing arrangement. That arrangement eventually became a substantial minority position within the capital structure of Aarons corporate empire. Because these assets were managed entirely through separate trust entities and professional managers neither Aaron nor I had ever realized this connection. My family wealth actually held a significant stake in his daily operations. The board chair had already requested a meeting with representatives from Mercer Ridge. They had received information that a long standing investor held an indirect economic interest in their future direction. They did not yet know that the prominent investor they needed to satisfy was the very same wife their chief executive had spent three years pushing aside. I stared at the financial reports realizing I held the ultimate power over everything he valued.