Chapter 10 - The Meeting
Three days later, Vanessa requested a meeting. Attorney present. Neutral office. Exactly as I'd offered.
She arrived early, gray dress, no purse. Sat at the far end of the table — the chair beside Daniel no longer belonging to her.
"I'm willing to explain," she said.
No one answered.
"I made mistakes."
"What mistakes?" Daniel asked.
"I became overwhelmed. Margaret needed more care than any of us expected. I was trying to secure everyone financially. The second mortgage was meant to be temporary."
The silence pulled more from her than accusation ever could.
"I never intended to keep the entire consulting fee."
Helen looked up. Daniel's eyes narrowed. Vanessa froze — she hadn't known we knew.
"How much did you intend to keep?" I asked.
"Some of it."
"Eight hundred thousand is 'some'?"
"This is about destroying me now."
"No," I said. "This is about stopping you."
Her eyes went wet.
I had seen Vanessa cry before — at Richard's funeral, harder than I did. I'd been grateful then. Now I understood tears could be genuine without making the person shedding them innocent.
"If I admit everything, will you withdraw the complaint?"
"No."
"Then why am I here?"
"Because I promised I would listen."
"You've already decided."
"Yes."
"You're choosing her," she said to Daniel.
"I'm choosing what happened."
"I am your wife."
May you like
"You were."
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