Chapter 7 - The Mother Who Knew Too Much
Patricia denied everything.
Through her attorney, she claimed Daniel had asked her to witness routine company paperwork.
Robert did not believe her.
Neither did Jennifer.
The family split almost overnight.
Relatives who had praised Daniel at the baptism now called Jennifer privately.
Some apologized for assuming she was causing unnecessary drama.
Others admitted Daniel had borrowed money from them.
One cousin had given him $25,000 for an “investment opportunity.”
An uncle had transferred $40,000.
A longtime family friend had put nearly $100,000 into a development project that never existed.
Daniel had not built one lie.
He had built an ecosystem.
Jennifer spent her evenings organizing records after Lily fell asleep.
For years Daniel had mocked her love of spreadsheets.
Now that habit became one of her greatest weapons.
She created timelines.
Dates.
Transfers.
Claims Daniel had made.
Places he had supposedly been.
Slowly, patterns emerged.
Westbridge received money.
Money moved through temporary accounts.
Some went to Chloe.
Some went to the condominium.
Some disappeared.
Then Jennifer found something strange.
Every few months, Daniel transferred exactly $8,000 to a company called Meridian Family Services.
Jennifer searched the name.
It appeared to be a private administrative company.
No meaningful website.
No clear office.
Rachel subpoenaed the records.
Daniel’s attorneys fought the request.
That made Jennifer even more interested.
Meanwhile, Chloe contacted Jennifer again.
They met in Rachel’s conference room.
Chloe looked exhausted.
“I know you don’t owe me anything.”
“You’re right.”
Chloe accepted the answer.
“I still want to help.”
Jennifer studied her.
“Why now?”
Chloe placed both hands over her pregnant stomach.
“Because when I found the Westbridge account, Daniel told me not to ask questions.”
Her voice trembled.
“Then he said if I caused problems, he would make sure I lost everything.”
Jennifer remembered the way Daniel had spoken to her outside the ballroom.
Same method.
Different woman.
“What does he have over you?”
Chloe looked down.
“My divorce.”
Jennifer waited.
Chloe continued.
“My ex-husband believes the baby is his.”
Jennifer frowned.
“You told me Daniel asked you to put another man’s name on the birth certificate.”
“Yes.”
“Your ex-husband?”
Chloe nodded.
“Daniel said it would protect us.”
Jennifer felt disgust rise in her throat.
“Protect him.”
Chloe’s eyes filled.
“I know that now.”
She pulled out her phone.
“There’s something else.”
She played a voicemail.
Daniel’s voice filled the room.
“If Jennifer starts digging, Patricia knows what to do.
We handled the first problem years ago.
We can handle this.”
Jennifer looked at Rachel.
“What first problem?”
Chloe shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
But Rachel’s expression had changed.
Because Meridian Family Services had just responded to the subpoena.
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And according to the first page of its records, Daniel had been paying them for seven years.
Long before Jennifer ever met him.
