Chapter 10 - Chloe’s Real Reason
Daniel looked at Chloe as though she had struck him.
“You called them?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Her hand moved protectively over her stomach.
“Because I got scared.”
“Of me?”
“Yes.”
Daniel laughed in disbelief.
“After everything I did for you?”
Chloe’s expression sharpened.
“You mean everything you paid for with stolen money?”
One officer approached.
“Daniel Carter?”
Daniel did not answer.
The second officer stepped closer.
“Sir?”
“Yes.”
“We need to speak with you regarding a complaint.”
Daniel pointed at Chloe.
“She’s angry because our relationship ended.”
Chloe gave him a stunned look.
“You told me yesterday we were moving into the townhouse next week.”
Patricia closed her eyes.
Robert whispered something under his breath.
The officer asked Chloe to step aside.
Before she did, she looked at me.
“I didn’t come here just because of the money.”
“What happened?”
She hesitated.
Daniel watched her.
That made her decision.
She reached into her purse and removed a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a flash drive.
Daniel’s entire body went rigid.
“What is that?”
Chloe held it tighter.
“You know.”
He stepped toward her.
The officers moved between them.
“Sir, stay where you are.”
I looked at Chloe.
“What’s on it?”
She took a breath.
“Files from Daniel’s laptop.”
Daniel shouted, “She stole those.”
Chloe ignored him.
“I started checking things after he lied about Jennifer moving to London.”
She looked ashamed.
“I know I should have questioned him sooner.”
I said nothing.
She continued.
“I found a folder with my name.”
My stomach tightened.
Daniel had files on both of us.
“What was inside?”
“Photos.”
“Of what?”
“Me.”
Her voice trembled.
“Appointments.”
“Stores.”
“My apartment.”
“Places he wasn’t with me.”
David frowned.
“He was tracking you?”
“I think so.”
She nodded toward the flash drive.
“But that wasn’t the worst folder.”
Daniel shouted again.
“Do not give them that drive.”
The officer raised his hand.
“Sir.”
Chloe looked directly at me.
“There was one called J.C.”
My initials.
I felt my heartbeat in my throat.
“What was inside?”
“Videos.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Chloe continued.
“You sleeping.”
“You crying.”
“You arguing with him.”
“You holding Lily.”
My knees weakened.
“And spreadsheets.”
“What spreadsheets?”
She swallowed.
“Timelines.”
David asked, “For custody?”
“Partly.”
“What else?”
Chloe’s eyes went to Daniel.
Then back to me.
“One document had a heading.”
She took another breath.
“Projected Separation Outcomes.”
Daniel whispered, “Stop.”
Chloe did not.
“It calculated how much money Daniel could keep depending on whether Jennifer left voluntarily, filed for divorce, lost custody, or was declared temporarily incapacitated.”
Robert looked horrified.
Then Chloe added one final detail.
“There was a fifth outcome.”
I almost did not want to ask.
“What?”
She looked at me.
May you like
“It was labeled ‘Widow Scenario.’”
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