Chapter 2 - The Setup
Friday morning arrived with a biting Chicago wind that rattled the windowpanes of their Gold Coast brownstone. True to form, Daniel breezed into the kitchen at 8:15 a.m., smelling of expensive cologne and artificial innocence. He kissed her cheek, complained about traffic, and kissed her goodbye without noticing the subtle change in the air. He was entirely blind to the storm gathering right in front of him, lulled into complacency by years of Claire’s quiet devotion. As soon as his luxury sedan pulled away from the curb, Claire sprang into action. She had a mountain of logistics to clear before the sun set.
First, she called Marcus Vance, the managing partner at her law firm and arguably the fiercest divorce litigator in the Midwest. Marcus owed Claire a massive professional favor after she had saved one of his high-profile corporate cases from collapsing six months prior.
"Marcus," she said smoothly when he picked up on the second ring. "I need to file."
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. Marcus knew her voice too well. He knew how level, how chillingly calm she sounded when she meant business. "Who is it, Claire?"
"Daniel."
Another pause, much longer this time, followed by a sharp intake of breath. "Are you certain?"
"I have the receipts, the timeline, and the financial trail. I want it filed under irreconcilable differences, but I want emergency asset freezes attached immediately so he can't liquidate any corporate holdings or hide company bonuses."
"Done," Marcus said, his voice dropping into professional shark mode. "Come into the office at ten. We’ll draft the summons, get the temporary restraining orders in place, and map out the service strategy."
May you like
"Actually, Marcus, I have a specific request regarding service," Claire said, a faint, humorless smile touching her lips. "I want to handle the delivery myself. Or rather, I want to orchestrate it in a way he will never, ever forget."
Over the next two hours, Claire executed the rest of her checklist. She called a high-end moving company, scheduling a discreet crew to clear out her personal belongings, art pieces, and family heirlooms from the brownstone while Daniel was at his office. She packed her own designer suitcases—leaving behind every single item Daniel had ever gifted her—and loaded them into the trunk of her car. Finally, she made a phone call to Lumière, the French restaurant in River North where Daniel had taken his mistress on Wednesday night. Using her maiden name and a heavy dose of charm, she secured a prime corner table for Friday evening at 8:00 p.m.—the exact same time Daniel had planned to take his mistress for a celebratory weekend kickoff dinner. The stage was set, the actors were cast, and the trap was about to snap shut.
