Chapter 12 - THE THREAT
Maya saw the photograph and immediately stopped treating Derek like an angry spouse.
She treated him like a legal problem.
My parents were advised to stay elsewhere for the night.
The photograph was preserved.
Every call was documented.
Every message was copied.
Derek insisted it wasn’t a threat.
According to him, he had simply driven past my parents’ home because he wanted to speak to me.
Nobody believed that explanation.
Especially not me.
I called him.
Maya sat beside me.
The conversation was recorded with legal guidance.
“Why were you outside my parents’ house?”
“I wasn’t.”
“You sent me the picture.”
“A friend took it.”
“Which friend?”
Silence.
“Derek.”
“Why does it matter?”
“Because you told me to come home beneath a picture of my parents’ house.”
“You’re twisting it.”
“I’m repeating it.”
His breathing changed.
Then the manipulation began.
“You know I love you.”
“No.”
“You loved me yesterday.”
“I loved the person you pretended to be.”
“That person is real.”
“Then where was he when you threw the towel?”
He had no answer.
I continued.
“Where was he when you forged my signature?”
“That was paperwork.”
“Where was he when you locked the bedroom?”
“You were being irrational.”
I closed my eyes.
He still couldn’t say it.
Sorry.
Five letters.
Apparently impossible.
Then he whispered.
“My mother pushed everything too far.”
There it was.
Blame.
I almost laughed.
“You’re thirty-four years old, Derek.”
“You don’t get to blame your mother for your hand throwing something.”
He became angry again.
“Fine.”
“You want honesty?”
“Yes.”
“I married you because I loved you.”
“And because the company needed you.”
The sentence landed quietly.
I felt nothing.
That surprised me.
Maybe betrayal eventually exhausted the part of the body responsible for shock.
“How long did you know?”
“Three months.”
“Before you proposed?”
Silence.
That was enough.
“Did Brenda tell you to propose?”
“No.”
“Derek.”
“She suggested the timing.”
My wedding ring suddenly felt heavy.
I removed it.
Placed it on Maya’s desk.
And said the words I had needed to say since brunch.
“Our marriage is finished.”
His response came instantly.
“If I lose everything, Chloe, you lose me.”
I stared at the ring.
“You already made sure of that.”
Then I ended the call.
An hour later, Thomas arrived with another discovery.
The missing money had not simply paid family expenses.
Seven million dollars had moved through a company registered in Delaware.
The beneficial owner was hidden.
But one payment memo contained initials.
B.W.
Brenda Wexler.
Maya looked at me.
“This may be bigger than Derek.”
Thomas nodded.
“Much bigger.”
Then he opened another file.
“There were transfers before Lauren left.”
I leaned forward.
“How much?”
“Two million.”
“To where?”
Thomas turned the screen.
The receiving account belonged to a private settlement company.
May you like
The beneficiary name made my stomach turn.
Lauren Hayes.
