As they got ready for bed, Sarah watched Alexander brush his teeth in the bathroom mirror.
In twelve hours, he would be in handcuffs.
In twelve hours, his carefully constructed double life would collapse completely—and he had absolutely no idea.
“You know what?” Alexander said suddenly, catching her eye in the mirror. “I’m going to call in sick tomorrow.
Let’s spend the day together—just the two of us.”
Sarah’s heart stopped.
Alexander couldn’t call in sick. He needed to be at the office for his arrest. If he stayed home, it would complicate everything.
“Don’t you have that important board meeting tomorrow?” she asked carefully.
“The board meeting can survive without me for one day,” Alexander said.
“You’re more important.”
Sarah’s mind raced. She needed Alexander at that office tomorrow morning, but she couldn’t seem too eager about it without raising suspicion.
“Alex, you’ve been working so hard on this project,” she said. “Are you sure you want to risk missing something important?”
“Nothing’s more important than you.”
Alexander moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, meeting her eyes in the mirror.
“I’ve been neglecting you, and I want to make up for it.”
The irony was suffocating.
Alexander had been neglecting her to spend time with Rebecca, and now he wanted to skip work on the one day his presence was absolutely crucial.
“That’s sweet,” Sarah said, leaning back against his chest like a loving wife should, “but I actually have some errands to run tomorrow anyway. Why don’t you go to your meeting, and we can spend the evening together instead?”
“What kind of errands?”
“Just some things related to Dad’s estate,” Sarah said. “Nothing exciting.”
She turned in his arms and smiled up at him.
“But I’d love to have dinner with you tomorrow night.
Maybe we could try that new steakhouse downtown.”
Alexander’s expression softened.
“You’re amazing. You know that? Most women would be upset about their husband working so much, but you’re worried about me missing important meetings.”
“I want you to be successful,” Sarah said.
“Your success is my success.”
“I love you so much, Sarah.”
“I love you too,” Sarah said.
She let Alexander make love to her that night, closing her eyes and thinking about Jennifer Walsh, about the other unnamed women Alexander had destroyed, about the justice that was finally coming.
In the morning, Alexander would wake up for the last time in their bed as a free man.
As Alexander slept beside her, Sarah stared at the ceiling and felt something she hadn’t experienced in years.
Peace.
For the first time since her father’s death, she felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be, doing exactly what she needed to do. Tomorrow, Alexander would learn that Sarah wasn’t the naive, trusting wife he thought he’d married.
Tomorrow, he would discover that he’d chosen the wrong woman to victimize.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
Sarah woke before her alarm, her heart already racing with anticipation. Beside her, Alexander slept peacefully, completely unaware that this was his last morning as a free man.
She watched him for a moment, studying the face that had lied to her so convincingly for months.
In a few hours, that handsome face would be in handcuffs.
She slipped out of bed quietly and made coffee, trying to keep her hands steady as she went through her normal morning routine. Today needed to look exactly like every other day, right up until the moment Alexander’s world exploded.
At 7:30, Alexander wandered into the kitchen in his pajamas, hair messy from sleep.
“Morning, beautiful. You’re up early.”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Sarah said.
“I kept thinking about those errands I need to run today.”
She handed him a cup of coffee, proud of how normal her voice sounded.
“Want some company? I could still call in sick and come with you.”
Sarah’s heart skipped, but she forced a smile.
“That’s sweet, but they’re really boring legal things. Plus, you’ve been working so hard on this project.
I’d feel terrible if you missed something important because of me.”
Alexander studied her face for a moment, and Sarah held her breath, wondering if he could sense that something had changed.
Then he smiled and kissed her forehead.
“You’re probably right. And honestly, I should probably show my face at the board meeting this morning—make sure the bosses know I’m committed to the company.”
“That’s my ambitious husband,” Sarah said, feeling a surge of dark satisfaction. “I’m proud of you.”
As Alexander showered and got dressed for work, Sarah called Janet Williams.
“Everything’s on schedule,” Janet said.
“Rebecca was arrested at her apartment twenty minutes ago. The FBI is in position outside Meridian Tech. Are you ready for this?”
“I’m ready,” Sarah surprised herself with how calm she sounded.
“Remember,” Janet said, “you don’t have to say anything to Alexander when they arrest him.
In fact, it’s better if you don’t. Let the FBI handle everything, and we’ll deal with the legal aftermath later.”
“What about his things? His clothes, his personal items?”
“We’ll arrange for him to collect his belongings after he makes bail,” Janet said.
“Assuming he can make bail. The charges are serious enough that the judge might deny it.”
After hanging up, Sarah helped Alexander choose his tie like she had hundreds of times before. He was nervous about the board meeting, adjusting his collar and checking his appearance in the mirror repeatedly.
“Do I look professional enough?” he asked, smoothing his hair.
“You look perfect,” Sarah said, straightening his tie with steady hands.
“Confident and successful.”
“Thanks, baby. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never have to find out,” Sarah said—and for the first time in days, she was telling the complete truth.
At 8:15, Alexander grabbed his briefcase and keys.
“I’ll probably be home around six,” he said, kissing Sarah goodbye at the front door. “Maybe we can start planning that weekend getaway.”
“I’d like that,” Sarah replied, knowing there would be no weekend getaway, no romantic dinner tonight, no future at all for Alexander outside of a federal prison cell.
She watched his BMW pull out of the driveway and felt a strange mixture of sadness and relief.
The man driving away was someone she’d loved deeply, but he was also someone who’d never really existed.
The real Alexander was a predator. A criminal. A man who destroyed women for profit.
At 8:45, Sarah arrived at the Meridian Tech building.
Janet Williams was waiting in the lobby, looking professional in a navy suit and carrying a leather briefcase.
“How are you feeling?” Janet asked as they rode the elevator to the twentieth floor.
“Like I’m about to watch justice being served,” Sarah said.
The boardroom was already full when they arrived.
Sarah recognized several faces from company events she’d attended with Alexander over the years. They all looked surprised to see her, whispering among themselves about why Alexander’s wife was at a board meeting.
Michael Rodriguez, the head of corporate security, nodded at Sarah from across the room.
Everything was in place.
At exactly 9:00, Alexander walked into the boardroom with his usual confident stride. He was talking to a colleague and laughing about something when he saw Sarah sitting at the conference table.
His face shifted through surprise, then confusion, then a flicker of fear.
“Sarah?
What are you doing here?”
Before she could answer, the boardroom doors opened again.
Three FBI agents in dark suits entered the room, their presence immediately commanding everyone’s attention.
“Alexander Webb.”
The lead agent—a stern-looking woman with gray hair—held up her badge.
“Yes,” Alexander said, and his voice was suddenly thin.
“FBI. You’re under arrest for marriage fraud, money laundering, facilitating prostitution, and tax evasion.”
The room erupted in shocked murmurs. Alexander’s face went white as the agent began reading him his rights.
“You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…”
Sarah watched as
