Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN WHO LEFT
Caroline Whitfield arrived the next afternoon.
Maria was not there.
Richard almost wished she were.
Caroline entered the library wearing black sunglasses and carrying no luggage.
Five years earlier, Richard had loved her.
Then hated her.
Now he mostly felt tired.
“You look terrible,” Caroline said.
“You look expensive.”
“Still charming.”
“Why are you here?”
She removed her sunglasses.
“Daniel.”
Richard waited.
Caroline sat.
“Years ago, before the divorce, I found transfers.”
“You knew?”
“Not everything.”
“You knew enough to leave?”
Her face tightened.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“You really want that conversation now?”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“I left because you were married to your company.”
Richard said nothing.
“I could disappear for three days and you wouldn’t notice until your assistant changed dinner plans.”
“That’s not fair.”
“It’s exactly fair.”
Maria’s words echoed in his head.
You never looked.
Caroline continued.
“Daniel came to me during the divorce.”
“What did he say?”
“He said you were hiding assets.”
“I wasn’t.”
“I know that now.”
“Then?”
“He showed me documents.”
“Fake.”
“Yes.”
“And you used them?”
“I used them to negotiate.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“So the first million?”
“Came from money Daniel stole from you.”
Silence.
Caroline looked ashamed.
“I didn’t know.”
“But you kept it.”
“I returned everything I could trace this morning.”
Richard stared at her.
“Why now?”
“Because I saw what happened to that housekeeper.”
“Maria.”
“Yes.”
Caroline paused.
“I remember her.”
Richard almost smiled.
“Of course you do.”
“She packed our wedding photos.”
“Yes.”
“She was kind to me when everyone else chose sides.”
“Yes.”
Caroline looked at him carefully.
“You like her.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say romantically.”
“You meant it.”
Caroline smiled faintly.
“Do you?”
Richard looked toward the window.
“I respect her.”
“Which for you is practically a proposal.”
He ignored that.
Caroline stood.
“Daniel always hated you.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You never knew.”
Richard turned.
“He didn’t hate your money.”
“He hated being the brother nobody noticed unless he failed.”
Richard stared at her.
“That doesn’t excuse anything.”
“No.”
“But maybe learn something from it.”
She walked toward the door.
“Learn what?”
Caroline looked back.
“That people disappear from your life long before they actually leave.”
Then she left.
Richard sat alone for a long time.
Across town, Maria stood inside a small office cleaning company.
The owner studied her résumé.
“Six years at Whitfield?”
“Yes.”
“And you were terminated for theft?”
Maria swallowed.
“I was falsely accused.”
The woman raised an eyebrow.
“That’s what everyone says.”
Maria pulled out a news article.
The owner read it.
“Oh.”
Maria waited.
The woman looked uncomfortable.
“Still.”
“Still what?”
“This is a lot of publicity.”
“So being innocent is bad publicity?”
“I’m saying clients don’t like drama.”
Maria felt anger rise.
“I didn’t create the drama.”
“I understand.”
“No.”
Maria stood.
“You don’t.”
She walked out.
On the sidewalk, she fought tears.
Her phone rang.
Richard.
She almost ignored it.
Then answered.
“What?”
“That sounded encouraging.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“I figured.”
“What do you need?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“I have an offer.”
“I told you, I’m not coming back.”
“It’s not housekeeping.”
Maria stopped walking.
“What is it?”
“Come to the estate tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Maria.”
“No.”
“Fine.”
She heard paper moving.
“I’ll come to you.”
“What are you doing?”
“Something I should have done years ago.”
May you like
The next morning, Richard Whitfield entered Maria’s neighborhood carrying a folder.
Every news camera in Connecticut followed him.
