Chapter 6 - The Woman Daniel Almost Married
Rebecca requested a meeting through counsel.
Daniel agreed.
Maya sat beside him.
Rebecca arrived with attorney Graham Voss.
She wore a dark-blue suit instead of bridal white.
The transformation was deliberate.
No abandoned bride.
No wounded fiancée.
Businesswoman.
Graham began.
“Ms. Sloan denies forging Mr. Mercer’s signature.”
Daniel stared at Rebecca.
“Did you write the note to Emily?”
Her lawyer interrupted.
“She will not discuss potential criminal allegations.”
Daniel leaned back.
“Then why are we here?”
Rebecca finally spoke.
“Because Caleb is using you.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“You expect me to believe you’re protecting me now?”
“No.”
Her eyes were tired.
“I expect you to believe he is protecting himself.”
Maya said, “What specifically do you claim Mr. Rusk did?”
Rebecca looked at Graham.
He shook his head.
She ignored him.
“He created the proxy.”
Daniel’s body went still.
Graham whispered, “Rebecca.”
She continued.
“He told me it was temporary. He said the East Harbor sale had to happen before the lenders reconsidered.”
“Why put it in Emily’s folder?”
“I didn’t.”
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel slid the Bellweather note across the table.
“You wrote this.”
Rebecca stared at the handwriting.
“I wrote part of it.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“What does that mean?”
“I told Emily she might attend a special school.”
“You told her I agreed.”
“She was refusing to cooperate.”
“She is seven.”
“I was trying to keep her calm.”
“By telling her she was being sent away forever?”
“I never said forever.”
“She heard forever.”
Rebecca looked away.
Daniel asked, “Why did Bellweather start an intake file five months ago?”
Silence.
Maya watched her.
“Ms. Sloan?”
Rebecca’s eyes filled.
“Emily hated me.”
“No,” Daniel said. “She was afraid of you.”
“I tried everything.”
“You tried removing her.”
“I thought temporary separation would help.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“You thought my wedding day was the correct moment to separate me from my daughter without telling me?”
Rebecca’s voice broke.
“I knew you would refuse.”
The truth hung there.
Graham tried to end the meeting.
Daniel stopped him.
“One more question.”
Rebecca looked up.
“Were you sleeping with Caleb?”
Her attorney closed his eyes.
Rebecca became absolutely still.
Daniel felt humiliation before she even answered.
“Yes.”
Maya said softly, “Daniel.”
He did not move.
“Before our engagement?”
“Yes.”
“After?”
Rebecca’s silence lasted three seconds.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared at the woman he had almost married.
“How long?”
“On and off.”
“How many years?”
“Seven.”
Daniel laughed once.
“You’ve known him seven years.”
“Yes.”
“Caleb told me he met you at the Mercer Foundation gala two years ago.”
Rebecca’s eyes fell.
“He lied.”
“And you let him.”
“Yes.”
“Did he introduce us intentionally?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Yes.”
There it was.
The relationship Daniel had believed was accidental had been arranged.
“Why?”
“At first? Because he wanted someone close to you.”
“For East Harbor?”
“That came later.”
“Then for what?”
Rebecca glanced at Graham again.
Daniel understood.
Money.
Power.
Access.
All of it.
Rebecca whispered, “Claire never trusted him.”
Daniel froze.
His late wife’s name entered the room again.
“What?”
“Claire questioned Caleb’s expense reports before she got sick.”
Daniel stared.
“Why do you know that?”
“Because Caleb told me.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
Before Rebecca had supposedly known Daniel at all.
Rebecca continued.
“He thought Claire was turning you against him.”
Daniel’s skin went cold.
“Did Claire find something?”
Rebecca looked afraid.
“I don’t know.”
“Rebecca.”
“She found irregular payments.”
“Where?”
“East Harbor.”
Maya immediately began taking notes.
Daniel whispered, “The division Caleb now wants sold.”
Rebecca nodded.
Daniel’s anger became colder.
Claire had died three years ago believing Caleb was Daniel’s loyal friend.
Or perhaps she had died knowing something Daniel had never allowed himself to hear.
As the meeting ended, Rebecca caught Daniel at the door.
“Emily saw us.”
“I know.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“That’s why you started Bellweather.”
She did not answer.
“You wanted to make her look unreliable.”
“I wanted her away from something she didn’t understand.”
“What?”
Rebecca looked directly at him.
“The same thing Claire understood.”
Then Graham pulled her toward the elevator.
The doors closed.
Daniel stood motionless.
May you like
His canceled wedding had just connected a forged child-placement form to financial suspicions his wife had carried years before her death.
For the first time, he wondered how long Caleb’s plan had really been running.
