Chương 10
“I would remember seven million dollars.”
Evelyn adjusted the blanket over her knees.
“You’d be surprised what married people manage not to know about each other.”
Adrian gave her a warning look.
She ignored him.
“I once learned my husband owned a boat because the marina sent me a Christmas card.”
Despite everything, I stared at her.
“A boat?”
“Ugly thing.”
“Mother.”
“What?”
“You’re not helping.”
“She looks like she needs someone to say something normal.”
Evelyn looked at me again.
“Was it at least a nice boat?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s a shame.”
The absurdity gave me a small place to stand.
I took another drink of water.
Rachel leaned toward Adrian.
“Did Ethan ever tell you Claire authorized the collateral?”
“No.”
“What did he say?”
“That the partnership was controlled within the Mercer family office.”
“Which isn’t the same thing.”
“No.”
“Did you challenge him?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“He withdrew that portion of the collateral package and substituted other assets.”
I frowned.
“So he knew he couldn’t use it.”
Adrian’s expression remained neutral, but something in his silence sharpened.
“He knew my legal team would not accept it without additional authority.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
“No.”
“Did he know he had no authority?”
“I can’t tell you what he knew.”
I hated the answer because it was responsible.
Ethan would have given me a certainty.
Adrian gave me the boundary of what he could prove.
Rachel’s phone buzzed.
She checked it.
“That’s Dana.”
I looked toward Adrian.
“I need a lawyer.”
“Yes.”
“You should probably leave.”
“Yes.”
He stood immediately.
That surprised me.
No argument.
No attempt to position himself as indispensable.
At the door, he paused.
“One thing.”
“What?”
“If your attorney wants the materials Mercer’s team provided to us, she’ll need to request them through proper channels.”
“Will you give them to her?”
“If I legally can.”
“That sounded expensive.”
“It was free.”
Evelyn rolled her wheelchair toward the door with one foot.
“I’m stealing my son back now.”
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
“I can rest at home.”
“You are not going home.”
She looked at me.
“You see what I deal with?”
“I’m beginning to.”
Adrian opened the door for her.
Before they disappeared, Evelyn pointed two fingers at me.
“Eat something.”
“That means actual food.”
“Mother.”
“I’m leaving.”
The door closed.
Rachel stared after them.
“What exactly happened between you and Adrian Vale last night?”
“He got lost.”
“That does not explain this.”
“He held my hand while they cut three babies out of me.”
Rachel slowly turned back.
“Claire.”
“I asked him to stay.”
“Claire.”
“I was terrified.”
“That is not the part I’m questioning.”
“What part are you questioning?”
“The feared billionaire countrywide corporate predator casually sitting in your hospital room discussing collateral packages.”
“He’s visiting his mother.”
“That makes it normal.”
“I didn’t say normal.”
Rachel looked at the door again.
“He’s less frightening in person.”
“He told me not to delete evidence twice.”
“That is not less frightening.”
Her phone rang.
She answered.
“Dana, hi.”
A woman’s voice came through the speaker after Rachel put it down between us.
“Rachel tells me you’re with Claire Mercer.”
“Yes,” I said.
“Claire, I’m Dana Feld.”
Her voice was brisk, slightly rough, and entirely uninterested in making me comfortable.
“I understand you signed a separation agreement yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“Did your husband have counsel present?”
“Yes.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did anyone tell you in writing to obtain independent counsel before signing?”
I tried to remember.
“There was a paragraph.”
“That is not the same as someone advising you.”
“I signed it anyway.”
“People sign bad documents every day.”
That was oddly comforting.
Rachel started to speak.
Dana cut her off.
“Rachel, let Claire answer.”
Rachel’s eyebrows rose.
I immediately liked Dana.
“Were you given schedules listing marital assets?”
“No.”
“Did the agreement state that you received them?”
“Yes.”
“Did you knowingly waive receipt?”
“No.”
“Were you under medication?”
“No.”
“Were you threatened?”
“Not exactly.”
“Do not soften answers for anyone’s benefit.”
I looked at Rachel.
She said nothing.
Dana continued.
“Were you told you had to leave your marital residence within twenty-four hours?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
“Ethan.”
“Verbally?”
“And it’s in the agreement.”
“Were your accounts already restricted before you signed?”
“Yes.”
There was a pause.
“That matters.”
My fingers tightened around the blanket.
“Why?”
“Because financial pressure can matter when evaluating how an agreement was obtained.”
“Does that mean it’s invalid?”
“It means I need the document before I say anything stupid.”
I almost smiled.
“Good.”
“What happened with the accounts?”
I explained what Daniel had told me.
Dana stopped me twice to separate what I knew from what Daniel claimed.
When I said thirty-two million dollars, she went silent.
“Do you have Daniel’s messages?”
“Yes.”
“Preserve them.”
“I did.”
“Do not forward them everywhere.”
“Why?”
“Metadata, chain of custody, context, and because people become fools when they think screenshots are magical.”
Rachel mouthed, I like her.
I ignored her.
“Do you know CEM Strategic Partners?”
“I learned it existed about thirty minutes ago.”
“Any idea what CEM stands for?”
“Claire Ethan Mercer, I assume.”
“Never assume initials.”
“All right.”
Dana’s tone softened by perhaps five percent.
“Do you have access to your personal email and devices?”
“Yes.”
“Do you control the phone in your hand?”
“Yes.”
“Any shared passwords with Ethan?”
“Some.”
“Change the passwords to your personal email first.”
“I can do that.”
“Do not access accounts you are not authorized to access just because you once knew the password.”
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
“I need to know if he forged my signature.”
“Yes.”
“I need to know now.”
“No.”
The word landed hard.
Dana continued before I could object.
“You need to know correctly.”
I looked at the NICU bracelet around my wrist.
“My husband is on a plane to New York.”
“Then he can be on a plane.”
“He’ll come here.”
“Hospital security can keep him out of your room if you ask.”
May you like
“He’s the babies’ father.”
“That is separate from access to you.”
