Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Had Already PreparedDerek discovers Skylar's exit was not impulsive
Derek read the attorney's email three times.
He still couldn't understand it.
Protection order.
Revocation of access.
Exclusive property rights.
Temporary financial injunction.
He looked at Suzanne.
“She can't do this.”
Suzanne folded her arms.
“She just did.”
Derek threw the phone onto the table.
“She was supposed to come back.”
“Why?”
“Because she's my wife.”
Suzanne frowned.
“Apparently that doesn't mean what you thought it meant.”
Derek ignored her.
He marched into the bedroom and searched through drawers.
Nothing.
Desk.
Nothing.
Closet.
Nothing.
He went to the cabinet where Skylar stored financial papers.
Empty.
Then he remembered the blue dinnerware.
He laughed bitterly.
“She even took the plates.”
Suzanne's expression was cold.
“Those aren't the problem.”
“What is?”
“The bank card.”
Derek looked at her.
She lowered her voice.
“I need the money.”
“How much?”
“Thirty-eight thousand.”
His face twisted.
“You said twelve.”
“I said that last month.”
“And where did thirty-eight come from?”
Suzanne looked away.
“Credit cards.”
“Whose?”
Silence.
Derek understood.
“You used hers?”
Suzanne didn't answer.
“You used Skylar's card?”
“She gave me permission before.”
“She didn't.”
Suzanne snapped, “She should have!”
Derek walked toward her.
“You told me this was about one declined payment.”
“It was.”
“For how much?”
Suzanne hesitated.
“Thirty-eight thousand.”
Derek stared at her.
Then his phone buzzed again.
This time it was his mother.
He answered.
“Mom?”
“What happened?”
“Skylar left.”
“I know.”
Derek frowned.
“How do you know?”
A pause.
Then his mother said something that made his stomach drop.
“Because she called me yesterday.”
Derek froze.
“What?”
“She asked me where I got the idea that you two owned the apartment together.”
The room went silent.
Derek lowered the phone.
“Why would she ask that?”
His mother didn't answer.
Instead, she said, “Son, you need to be careful.”
“With what?”
“With what Skylar knows.”
The call ended.
Derek stared at the phone.
Suzanne noticed his expression.
“What?”
“My mother said Skylar knows something.”
Suzanne's face changed.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Finally, Suzanne said, “Maybe she found the transfers.”
Derek's eyes snapped toward her.
“What transfers?”
The silence was answer enough.
“You've been moving money?”
“Not from her directly.”
“Then where?”
Suzanne shook her head.
“Don't worry about it.”
Derek grabbed her wrist.
“Tell me.”
She pulled away.
“I handled some things.”
“What things?”
“I opened accounts.”
“For what?”
“For the business.”
“What business?”
Her expression hardened.
“The business you told me to start.”
Derek stared at her.
He suddenly remembered the documents Skylar had once brought to him.
She had asked why his signature appeared on a company filing.
He had told her she was imagining things.
She believed him.
Or at least pretended to.
Derek walked toward the kitchen.
He remembered something.
Three years earlier, Skylar had asked him why an unfamiliar charge appeared on their tax documents.
He had laughed.
She had dropped the subject.
At the time, he thought she was intimidated.
Now he wasn't so sure.
Outside, a black SUV stopped near the building.
A woman stepped out.
Late forties.
Dark hair.
Professional clothes.
She held a leather folder.
Derek watched from behind the curtain.
The woman walked toward the entrance.
Suzanne whispered, “Who is that?”
Derek already knew.
“Mara Collins.”
“Her lawyer?”
“Yes.”
The doorbell rang.
Derek didn't answer.
Mara waited.
Then her voice came through the intercom.
“Mr. Mercer, you have documents to sign.”
Derek remained silent.
Mara added calmly:
“You should also know that Ms. Bennett has already separated every financial account she owns from every account you have access to.”
Derek's stomach dropped.
Mara continued.
“And there is one more thing.”
Derek stared at the speaker.
“Your wife's medical report contains photographs.”
No one moved.
Mara's voice became colder.
“Those photographs are now evidence.”
The intercom clicked off.
Derek looked at Suzanne.
“What did she tell the police?”
Suzanne shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
Then Derek noticed something on the floor.
A small white envelope.
It had slipped beneath the door.
His name was written across it.
DEREK MERCER.
He picked it up.
Inside was one photograph.
His own reflection appeared in the microwave door.
Behind him, frozen mid-motion, was the moment he threw the coffee.
A security camera had captured everything.
On the back of the photograph was a single sentence.
You were never as invisible as you thought.
Derek's fingers went numb.
Because the photo wasn't from the hospital.
May you like
It had come from inside the apartment.
And he suddenly realized someone had been watching them for months.
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