By eight the next morning, I had slept for perhaps forty minutes.<\/p>\n
The apartment had been swept twice.<\/p>\n
Three recording devices and one camera were removed.<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s laptop was taken as evidence.<\/p>\n
The mysterious binder was photographed and collected.<\/p>\n
Mr. Henderson replaced the locks and revoked every building credential connected to Jason or Eleanor.<\/p>\n
Still, I did not feel safe.<\/p>\n
Safety had once meant locking the door.<\/p>\n
Now it meant wondering whether someone had been listening before I knew there was danger.<\/p>\n
Natalie slept on the sofa.<\/p>\n
Mom refused to leave.<\/p>\n
Dad went home only long enough to shower and return with clean clothes.<\/p>\n
Rebecca stayed until sunrise, then finally left after making me promise to call.<\/p>\n
Claire disappeared with a friend.<\/p>\n
She would not go home to Eleanor.<\/p>\n
At seven thirty, my phone rang.<\/p>\n
Mr. Kaplan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Apparently everyone had.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need a divorce lawyer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need several lawyers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite everything, I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat bad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWorse.\u201d<\/p>\n
He arranged for a matrimonial attorney named Laura Chen to meet me that morning.<\/p>\n
At eight forty-five, the doorman called.<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Roberts, Mr. Montes is downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach clenched.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not permitted up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has an attorney.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom stood.<\/p>\n
Dad moved toward the entryway.<\/p>\n
Mr. Henderson came on the line.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe attorney is requesting supervised access for Jason to retrieve personal belongings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura Chen had arrived ten minutes earlier.<\/p>\n
She took the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSend the attorney upstairs alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Five minutes later, a man in his fifties entered.<\/p>\n
His name was David Sloan.<\/p>\n
He carried a leather briefcase and the controlled irritation of someone whose morning had become expensive.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Montes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Roberts.\u201d<\/p>\n
He accepted the correction.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy client would like to collect clothing, business materials, and personal effects.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura stood beside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can provide a list.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is entitled to his possessions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is not entitled to wander through an apartment currently connected to a criminal investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan looked toward the evidence tags still visible near the study.<\/p>\n
His expression changed slightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand law enforcement has already completed its search.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officer Grant, who had returned that morning, answered from behind him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan turned.<\/p>\n
He had not realized Grant was there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat complicates things.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d Grant said.<\/p>\n
Sloan adjusted his cuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy client can wait downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
A list arrived by email fifteen minutes later.<\/p>\n
Clothing.<\/p>\n
Shoes.<\/p>\n
Toiletries.<\/p>\n
Several watches.<\/p>\n
Two framed photographs.<\/p>\n
Business files.<\/p>\n
A laptop.<\/p>\n
Grant read it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not getting the laptop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI assumed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then we reached the business files.<\/p>\n
The request described three binders by name.<\/p>\n
One was MONTES CAPITAL.<\/p>\n
The binder now sitting in an evidence bag.<\/p>\n
Grant looked at Sloan.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour client specifically asked for this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cInteresting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan\u2019s expression remained neutral.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause last night Jason told Sophia he had no idea what that binder was.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan stopped.<\/p>\n
I almost admired how little his face showed.<\/p>\n
Almost.<\/p>\n
\u201cClients say many things under stress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant made a note.<\/p>\n
Laura smiled without warmth.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome statements are more useful than others.\u201d<\/p>\n
The retrieval began without Jason entering.<\/p>\n
Dad and Mr. Henderson collected clothing under Grant\u2019s supervision.<\/p>\n
Natalie packed toiletries.<\/p>\n
I stayed in the study with Laura.<\/p>\n
The room felt violated.<\/p>\n
The empty spot behind the engagement photograph seemed to stare at me.<\/p>\n
Laura reviewed the documents from Mr. Kaplan.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother acted at exactly the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked toward the living room.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe enjoys hearing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura ignored the joke.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe property structure means Jason has very little room to argue immediate ownership.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVery little?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe may argue marital residency rights or attempt other claims. Ownership is stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
I rubbed my forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI married him yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019m already discussing divorce.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there any chance this marriage can simply disappear?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnnulment may be possible depending on what we establish.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFraud?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPotentially.\u201d<\/p>\n
The word sat heavily between us.<\/p>\n
I thought of the binder.<\/p>\n
The date beside my name.<\/p>\n
The six-week head start.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he chose me because of the apartment?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat matters.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat if he never intended a real marriage?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat matters more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officer Grant entered.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found something.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart sank.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat now?\u201d<\/p>\n
He held a small envelope.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was inside the lining of one of Mr. Montes\u2019s suitcases.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan appeared behind him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to object to the search.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant answered calmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did not search the suitcase. Mr. Roberts lifted it, and the lining tore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad stood nearby holding a black suitcase with a ripped seam.<\/p>\n
\u201cCheap luggage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
I would have laughed under any other circumstances.<\/p>\n
Grant looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe envelope has your name.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy name?\u201d<\/p>\n
Written across the front was SOPHIA.<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s handwriting.<\/p>\n
Laura stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHas it been opened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan immediately spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy client may assert privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBetween husband and wife?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPotentially.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant handed the envelope to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan objected again.<\/p>\n
Laura said, \u201cDavid, save it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I opened it.<\/p>\n
Inside were copies of financial documents.<\/p>\n
Not mine.<\/p>\n
At first.<\/p>\n
The first page showed a company registration.<\/p>\n
Montes Meridian Holdings.<\/p>\n
Jason was listed as managing member.<\/p>\n
The second page was a loan summary.<\/p>\n
The third was a spreadsheet.<\/p>\n
Then I found my name.<\/p>\n
Property: East 82nd Street apartment.<\/p>\n
Estimated value: $2.05M.<\/p>\n
Acquisition route: marriage \/ voluntary restructuring.<\/p>\n
My hands began shaking.<\/p>\n
Laura took the page carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay I?\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
She read.<\/p>\n
Dad swore.<\/p>\n
Mom sat down.<\/p>\n
Sloan stopped speaking entirely.<\/p>\n
There were columns.<\/p>\n
Asset.<\/p>\n
Estimated liquidity.<\/p>\n
Owner vulnerability.<\/p>\n
Approach.<\/p>\n
My line contained notes.<\/p>\n
Trust objection from mother likely.<\/p>\n
Need execute before ceremony if possible.<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore ceremony?\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant took a photograph.<\/p>\n
Laura continued reading.<\/p>\n
\u201cPossible signature package during honeymoon planning.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt nauseated.<\/p>\n
The photocopy of my driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n
Travel paperwork.<\/p>\n
Mom stepped beside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat signature package?\u201d<\/p>\n
No one answered.<\/p>\n
I searched the remaining pages.<\/p>\n
Then I found it.<\/p>\n
A draft transfer agreement.<\/p>\n
My name appeared throughout.<\/p>\n
So did Jason\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The document proposed moving my apartment into a jointly controlled entity.<\/p>\n
The signature line at the bottom was blank.<\/p>\n
But attached to it was a photocopy of my driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n
The same one I had given him.<\/p>\n
I sat down.<\/p>\n
Laura\u2019s voice sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan rubbed his forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to speak with my client.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou probably do.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were more pages.<\/p>\n
A printed email between Jason and Eleanor.<\/p>\n
Not recent.<\/p>\n
Four months old.<\/p>\n
I read Eleanor\u2019s message first.<\/p>\n
You need her legally committed before Margaret gets involved.<\/p>\n
Jason replied.<\/p>\n
Mom is suspicious but Sophia pushes back when she feels controlled. That helps us.<\/p>\n
I could not breathe for several seconds.<\/p>\n
My mother read over my shoulder.<\/p>\n
Her face went white.<\/p>\n
The next email was worse.<\/p>\n
Eleanor: Does she know about Rebecca?<\/p>\n
Jason: No. She believes Rebecca was a girlfriend.<\/p>\n
Eleanor: Keep it that way until after the deed changes.<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
There it was.<\/p>\n
No interpretation required.<\/p>\n
No misunderstanding.<\/p>\n
No accident.<\/p>\n
Jason knew exactly what he was hiding and why.<\/p>\n
Laura gently took the page.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis supports fraudulent inducement.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeaning?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat he concealed material facts in order to get you to marry him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan was already walking toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant stopped him.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne question.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid your client tell you these documents existed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he tell you he knew Ms. Roberts before they met socially?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sloan\u2019s irritation had disappeared.<\/p>\n
Now he looked tired.<\/p>\n
He left.<\/p>\n
Mom sat beside me.<\/p>\n
For a moment, neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n
Then she said, \u201cI am sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor not telling you about Rebecca sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wanted to stay angry.<\/p>\n
Part of me still was.<\/p>\n
But beside the documents proving Jason had studied my weaknesses, my mother\u2019s secrecy looked different.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were trying to let me see him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could have lost me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took her hand.<\/p>\n
Before either of us could say more, the intercom buzzed.<\/p>\n
Mr. Henderson answered.<\/p>\n
His expression changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He listened.<\/p>\n
Then looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cJason\u2019s attorney left.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJason is still downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grant moved toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell security not to let him up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henderson listened again.<\/p>\n
Then frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe isn\u2019t trying to come up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is he doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s standing outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
I went to the window despite everyone telling me not to.<\/p>\n
Far below, Jason stood on the opposite sidewalk.<\/p>\n
No coat.<\/p>\n
Hands in his pockets.<\/p>\n
Looking up.<\/p>\n
At my windows.<\/p>\n
Laura came beside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t engage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n
My phone rang.<\/p>\n
Jason.<\/p>\n
I declined.<\/p>\n
It rang again.<\/p>\n
Declined.<\/p>\n
Then a voicemail notification appeared.<\/p>\n
Grant asked me not to listen until he could record it.<\/p>\n
He put the phone on speaker.<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s voice filled the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cSophia, I know you found the envelope.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone went still.<\/p>\n
He continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are things in there that look worse without context.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laura closed her eyes briefly.<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s voice became softer.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think Rebecca told you everything. She didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebecca.<\/p>\n
Again.<\/p>\n
Then:<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk her why she signed a settlement agreement promising never to discuss what really happened with the townhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Mom.<\/p>\n
She looked equally confused.<\/p>\n
Jason continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk her where the missing six hundred thousand dollars went.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebecca had never mentioned missing money.<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s final words came slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd before you trust her, ask your mother why Rebecca called her three months before our engagement announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n
The message ended.<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
I turned toward Mom.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said Rebecca contacted you six weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom\u2019s face had changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJason says she contacted you months earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maybe.<\/p>\n
Probably.<\/p>\n
But I had spent two years accepting answers because I wanted them to be true.<\/p>\n
I would not make that mistake again.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive me your phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom stared at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cSophia.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n
She hesitated.<\/p>\n
That hesitation was enough.<\/p>\n
Dad looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cMargaret?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom sat very still.<\/p>\n
Then she unlocked her phone and handed it to me.<\/p>\n
I searched Rebecca\u2019s number.<\/p>\n
The call history loaded.<\/p>\n
Six weeks earlier.<\/p>\n
Several calls.<\/p>\n
Then I scrolled farther.<\/p>\n
Three months before our engagement announcement, there it was.<\/p>\n
Rebecca Hale.<\/p>\n
Incoming call.<\/p>\n
Duration: four minutes, twelve seconds.<\/p>\n
I looked at my mother.<\/p>\n
The room seemed to hold its breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did speak to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The word hurt more than I expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did she tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom looked at Dad, then at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
My grip tightened around the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened on that call?\u201d<\/p>\n
She took a slow breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca didn\u2019t call to warn me about Jason.\u201d<\/p>\n
The apartment suddenly felt cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did she call?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom looked toward the envelope, the hidden devices, the documents Jason had left behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe called because she thought Jason was already watching you.\u201d<\/p>\n
By eight the next morning, I had slept for perhaps forty minutes. The apartment had been swept twice. Three recording devices and one camera were removed. Jason\u2019s laptop was taken … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17983"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18033,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17983\/revisions\/18033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}