Chapter 56 The Reconciliation
Sebastian's accountant had kind eyes and unlimited patience.
Harper sat across from him at his downtown office, Sebastian beside her, as they went through every financial record of the past five years.
"This account here," Harper pointed to a Cayman Islands transfer. "The one ending in 392."
"Closed in 2022," the accountant confirmed. "Three years before Mr. Colton met you. It was a standard offshore holding structure we used before changing our international tax strategy. Everything was above board and reported."
"And this transfer? The one for five million dollars the week before our wedding?"
"That's the payment specified in your prenuptial agreement. Transferred from Mr. Colton's personal account to yours as agreed. No hidden accounts. No diversions. Straightforward transaction."
Harper went through every document, every transfer, every account. The accountant explained each one with calm professionalism. Nothing was hidden. Nothing suggested Sebastian was planning to steal assets or disappear with their child.
After two hours, Harper had verified everything.
Sebastian had been telling the truth.
"I'm sorry," Harper said quietly once they'd left the office. "I should have trusted you without needing proof."
"You needed certainty. I understand that." Sebastian walked beside her toward his car. "But Harper, we can't keep doing this. Someone is actively trying to destroy us by exploiting your fears. We need to figure out who and stop them."
"I know. But how? The texts come from burner phones. The documents are carefully timed. Whoever's doing this knows exactly which buttons to push."
Sebastian opened the car door for her. "Then we change strategy. Instead of reacting to their attacks, we go on offense. Find out who benefits from our relationship falling apart and confront them directly."
"That could be a long list. Vanessa. Patricia. Anyone with a grudge against your family."
"So we narrow it down. Who has the most to gain right now, today, from you not trusting me?"
Harper thought about it as Sebastian drove. Who benefited from their separation?
Her phone buzzed. Another text from the unknown number.
"Did you verify the accounts? Good. Now ask him about the life insurance policy. The one he took out on you three months ago. Two million dollars payable to him if you die during the pregnancy. He's been planning this all along, Harper. Get out while you still can."
Harper's hands went numb. She showed Sebastian the text.
He pulled over immediately, his face pale. "That's a lie. I never took out a life insurance policy on you."
"Can we verify that?"
"Yes. Call my insurance broker right now." Sebastian handed her his phone with the number already pulled up.
Harper called. Waited through the hold music. Finally reached someone who could access the account.
"Mr. Colton doesn't have any life insurance policies on anyone but himself," the broker confirmed. "Would you like to discuss coverage options?"
"No. Thank you." Harper hung up.
Another lie. Another perfectly crafted attack designed to make her doubt Sebastian.
"This has to stop," Harper said. "Whoever's sending these knows too much. Personal details. Financial information. They're close to us somehow."
Sebastian's expression shifted. "Or they have access to someone who is. Harper, who have you told about the pregnancy besides me and Jessie?"
"Claire. That's it."
"And Claire wouldn't betray us. So either someone's monitoring our communications or..." Sebastian trailed off, his face darkening. "We need to go back to the penthouse. Now."
He drove fast, his jaw tight. Harper didn't ask questions, just held on as he navigated traffic with aggressive precision.
At the penthouse, Sebastian went straight to his office and started pulling apart his desk.
"What are you looking for?" Harper asked.
"Bugs. Surveillance. Someone's been too well-informed about our private conversations." He found what he was looking for behind a picture frame. A small device, sleek and professional. "There. Someone's been listening to everything we say in this apartment."
Harper felt violated. "How long has it been there?"
"I don't know. But I'm checking every room." Sebastian was already moving, examining light fixtures and electrical outlets.
They found three more devices. One in the bedroom. One in the kitchen. One in Harper's private room.
"Whoever placed these has been documenting our most vulnerable moments," Sebastian said, staring at the collection of bugs. "Our fights. Our conversations about the baby. Everything they've used against us."
"We need to call Detective Morrison."
"After we sweep the Adriatic. If they bugged here, they probably bugged there too."
At the hotel, they found two more devices. One in Harper's office. One in the ballroom where Sebastian had proposed.
"This is sick," Harper said. "Someone's been watching our entire relationship."
Sebastian called Morrison, who arrived with a technical team within the hour. They confirmed the devices were professional grade. Expensive. Installed by someone with expertise.
"We can trace the frequency they're broadcasting on," Morrison said. "Find out where the signal's being received. That'll lead us to whoever's behind this."
While the tech team worked, Sebastian and Harper sat in the Adriatic's lobby, both processing the violation.
"I'm sorry," Harper said finally. "For doubting you. For believing the texts instead of trusting what I knew about you."
"You had reasons to doubt. Someone's been very good at exploiting your fears." Sebastian took her hand. "But Harper, we can't let them win. We can't let whoever's doing this destroy what we've built."
"I don't want them to win. But Sebastian, I also don't know how to stop being scared. Even knowing the texts were lies, part of me is still waiting for you to betray me."
"Then we work on that. Really work on it. With actual therapy, not just talking about therapy." Sebastian pulled her close. "Because I love you. I love our baby. And I'm not going anywhere no matter how many bugs they plant or lies they spread."
Harper leaned against him, exhausted. "I love you too. I'm sorry I keep forgetting that love should be easier than this."
"Love is never easy. But it's worth fighting for."
Morrison's tech specialist approached them. "We traced the signal. The devices are transmitting to a receiver in this building. Somewhere on the upper floors."
Harper and Sebastian exchanged glances. "The upper floors are still under renovation. No one should be up there."
They followed Morrison and his team upstairs, weapons drawn. The receiver signal led them to the sixth floor, to a room that should have been empty.
But when they opened the door, they found a complete surveillance setup. Monitors showing feeds from all the devices. Recording equipment. Files labeled with dates corresponding to Harper and Sebastian's private conversations.
And sitting calmly at the desk, headphones on, listening to a recording of their fight about the pregnancy, was someone Harper recognized.
Someone she'd trusted completely.
Someone who'd been in their inner circle from the beginning.
Morrison moved forward with handcuffs. "You're under arrest for illegal surveillance, stalking, and conspiracy."
The figure removed their headphones and smiled.
"Hello, Harper. I wondered when you'd figure it out."
Harper stared in shock.
Because sitting there, surrounded by evidence of months of surveillance, was the last person she'd suspected.
The person who'd been helping them all along.
Or so they'd thought.
"Why?" Harper whispered.
"Because you took everything from me. And now I'm taking everything from you. Starting with your ability to trust the man you love."
Morrison read them their rights, but Harper barely heard.
She couldn't process what she was seeing.
The betrayal was too complete.
Too devastating.
Too close to home.
Sebastian's arm tightened around her as the person was led away in handcuffs, still smiling.
"It's over," Sebastian said. "It's finally over."
But Harper wasn't sure.
Because the damage was done.
The seeds of doubt planted.
And even with the truth revealed, Harper didn't know if she could ever fully trust again.
Not Sebastian.
Not anyone.
The person who'd betrayed them had destroyed more than their privacy.
They'd destroyed Harper's ability to believe in happy endings.
And that might be a wound too deep to heal.