Chapter 7 - THE STORY GRANT TOLD FIRST
Brooke answered on speaker.
“Hi, Daniel.”
Her boss sounded uncomfortable.
“Brooke, are you okay?”
She closed her eyes.
“I’m not sure how to answer that.”
“I got an email last night.”
I looked at her.
“From who?” Brooke asked.
A pause.
“From your account.”
Her eyes widened.
“What did it say?”
Daniel hesitated.
“It said you were resigning immediately.”
Brooke stood.
“I didn’t send that.”
“I figured something was wrong.”
“Why?”
“Because I got a second email ten minutes later.”
“What did that one say?”
Another pause.
“That you had been taking company data home without authorization.”
Brooke stared at me.
Her mouth fell open.
“I have never done that.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because your job doesn’t give you access to the system mentioned in the email.”
For the first time all morning, something almost like relief crossed her face.
Grant had tried to frame her.
But he had made a mistake.
Daniel continued.
“I called IT. Someone accessed your email from an unfamiliar device.”
“Can you preserve everything?”
“Yes.”
“Please do.”
“I already did.”
Brooke started crying.
“Thank you.”
Her boss’s voice softened.
“Take care of yourself. We’ll handle work later.”
When the call ended, Rachel said, “He’s trying to burn your life down.”
Brooke nodded.
“Yes.”
I expected her to collapse.
Instead, she picked up a notebook.
“What are you doing?”
“Writing everything down.”
Something had changed.
Fear was still there.
But now it was sharing space with anger.
Good.
Anger can be useful when it stops you from going back.
That afternoon, Brooke met with an attorney through a victim-services referral.
Her name was Caroline Hayes.
She spoke quickly, directly, and without pity.
“You need to assume Grant will use every system he can reach.”
Brooke nodded.
“Banking?”
“Yes.”
“Work?”
“He already tried.”
“Family?”
“Yes.”
“Social media?”
Brooke looked at me.
“I haven’t checked.”
Caroline sighed.
“Then don’t check alone.”
Rachel opened her phone.
Grant had already posted.
A long message.
No names.
But everybody who knew them would understand.
It described a “beloved family member” suffering from a “serious emotional crisis.”
It said “outside influences” were encouraging destructive behavior.
It said Grant was praying for healing.
Comments filled the page.
You’re such a good husband.
Stay strong, brother.
Mental health is heartbreaking.
Protect yourself.
Brooke stared at the screen.
“He planned this.”
Caroline nodded.
“Maybe.”
“He told me he’d do this.”
“Then screenshot everything.”
I felt sick watching strangers comfort him.
The man who had dragged my daughter by the hair in public was now presenting himself as the wounded husband.
Then Rachel scrolled.
Her face changed.
“What?”
She handed Brooke the phone.
Diane had commented.
Some women will destroy a good man rather than admit they need help.
Brooke laughed bitterly.
“That sounds like her.”
Then Caroline’s assistant stepped into the room.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
She handed Caroline a document.
Caroline read it.
Her jaw tightened.
“What is it?” Brooke asked.
Caroline placed the paper on the table.
“Grant filed for a restraining order.”
I stared at her.
“Against Brooke?”
“Yes.”
Brooke looked stunned.
“On what grounds?”
Caroline turned the page.
“He says you attacked him at the restaurant.”
Nobody spoke.
May you like
Then Caroline pointed to the final paragraph.
“And he claims you threatened to kill him.”
