Chapter 13 - The Power Ava Gave Away
The black ledger hurt Julian.
The old power of attorney helped him.
Both were true.
That was the legal problem.
Julian’s attorneys argued the Halcyon transaction had been undertaken pursuant to authority Ava voluntarily granted him two years earlier.
They acknowledged “administrative irregularities” in execution.
They denied criminal intent.
The ledger contradicted them.
One entry read:
POA gives cover if deed challenged.
Another:
Use signature page, not agent signature — cleaner for lender.
Ava stared.
He knew using the power of attorney openly would create questions because he was transferring property into his own controlled company.
So he forged her direct signature instead.
The power of attorney was not authority.
It was planned camouflage.
Thomas smiled grimly.
“That entry is extremely helpful.”
Ava did not smile.
The ledger also contained a list of contingency arguments.
Ava consented orally.
Marital asset.
POA authority.
Emergency liquidity for family.
Clerical signing error.
Each excuse had been prepared before discovery.
Julian had anticipated litigation.
Ava’s mistake was still real.
She had granted broad power without reviewing it carefully.
But he had gone out of his way not to rely on it properly.
That distinction mattered.
The Rhode Island court scheduled an evidentiary hearing concerning the mortgage.
Greyport’s attorneys became less aggressive after reviewing the ledger.
They had their own problem.
Internal emails showed their loan officer noticed the property owner was an individual while the borrower was an LLC.
He asked for direct confirmation from Ava.
Serena responded with the fake email address.
The loan officer never independently verified it.
Greyport had been deceived.
But its diligence was imperfect.
Settlement discussions began.
Ava wanted immediate cancellation.
Greyport wanted return of the funds that ultimately benefited Julian.
Ava refused to repay money she never received.
The litigation continued.
At home, another conflict emerged.
Margaret wanted Ava to move permanently into the Monroe family apartment.
Ava said no.
“You’re thirty-four weeks pregnant.”
“I know.”
“Julian knows where you live.”
“He knows where you live too.”
“You need security.”
“I have security.”
“You need someone overnight.”
“I have Rosa staying three nights.”
Margaret frowned.
Ava smiled.
“Mom.”
Margaret stopped herself.
“You’re right.”
Ava laughed.
“You hate this.”
“Deeply.”
Their relationship was changing.
Not becoming distant.
Becoming negotiated.
Ava rented a townhouse in Manhattan near her obstetrician.
Independent.
Secure.
Temporary.
She chose the furniture.
She chose the security company.
She chose who received keys.
The first night alone frightened her.
She slept anyway.
Then Serena’s attorneys produced another damaging fact.
Ava had once told Serena she was “terrified I’ll be a terrible mother.”
A real statement.
At a baby shower.
While laughing.
Serena had secretly recorded the conversation.
In isolation it sounded serious.
Julian’s custody attorneys cited it.
Elena sighed.
“Again, context.”
Ava hated the word.
They collected statements from five women who attended.
Everyone remembered the conversation.
They had all joked about motherhood fears.
One friend had said she was terrified of dropping her newborn.
Another feared never sleeping again.
Ordinary anxiety.
Turned into evidence.
Ava’s phone history, therapy records—voluntarily disclosed only as strategically advised—and medical records contained no history supporting Julian’s severe-instability claims.
The false narrative weakened.
Then Julian’s attorneys found something genuine.
Ava had attended therapy for anxiety after David’s death.
Ava froze.
“I never hid that.”
“No,” Elena said.
“But they will use it.”
“Can they?”
“They can try. Therapy does not make someone an unfit parent.”
Ava looked at the court papers.
For the first time, she almost wanted to hide it.
Then she understood.
That impulse was the trap.
Julian’s power required shame.
She authorized Elena to state the truth.
Ava had attended grief therapy for eight months after her father died.
Successfully.
No hospitalization.
No suicidality.
No psychosis.
No threats.
No impairment.
The fact stopped being leverage as soon as context returned.
Then came a more dangerous development.
Serena’s plea negotiations stalled.
Federal prosecutors believed she still lied about who created the custody plan.
Serena blamed Julian.
Julian blamed Serena.
The evidence showed both.
Serena withdrew from active cooperation pending revised terms.
Ava lost her most direct insider witness.
Three days later, Greyport refused to cancel its mortgage voluntarily.
The title case would continue.
Then Julian’s attorney filed notice that immediately after birth he intended to seek temporary joint custody and an order prohibiting Ava from relocating the child outside New York.
Legally ordinary requests on their face.
Placed beside the conspiracy, terrifying.
Ava stood in her new townhouse holding the papers.
May you like
One month remained until her due date.
The window for preparation was closing.
