Chapter 8 - THE SECOND WIFE WHO WASN'T
I sent the attachment to Miriam before answering.
Then I wrote Vanessa three words.
We are married.
She called immediately.
“That can't be right.”
“You heard me ask about our anniversary trip.”
“He said you hadn't accepted the separation.”
“And you decided humiliating me would help?”
Her breathing turned rough.
“I shouldn't have said that.”
“No. You shouldn't.”
For the first time, she had nothing ready.
We met the following morning in a small conference room at Miriam's office.
Vanessa came with her own lawyer.
Without the ring and the company lighting, she looked exhausted and angry.
She placed printed messages on the table.
Daniel had told her the divorce was settled.
He had called me fragile, difficult, obsessed with appearances.
He had sent photographs from business trips he told me he took alone.
One message made me stop.
Once we close Monday, she can't undo anything.
“When did he send this?” I asked.
“Last week.”
“What exactly couldn't I undo?”
“The manufacturing sale. The loan.”
“So you knew the transaction depended on using my shares.”
“I thought you had signed.”
“You also knew those jobs were going.”
She looked away.
There it was again.
A woman could be deceived about one thing and still responsible for another.
I wouldn't let her turn her heartbreak into an eraser.
Miriam asked about the divorce document.
Vanessa said Daniel had emailed it directly.
Her lawyer agreed to preserve the message and its attachment.
Then I asked about the ring.
Vanessa's face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
“He said he'd reimburse the company after his incentive payment.”
“And you approved the invoice.”
“Yes.”
The word landed heavily.
I stood.
“Your counsel can speak to the investigators. I'm done having a private conversation about public money.”
Vanessa reached into her bag.
“One more thing.”
She laid a revised closing schedule on the table.
Daniel had circulated it late the night before.
The buyers were demanding an earlier completion.
May you like
Monday was gone.
The sale was now scheduled for five o'clock that afternoon.
