Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Wanted Me GoneI slapped the printed registration onto the kitchen counter.
“Start talking.”
Daniel looked exhausted.
“I can't explain everything in one conversation.”
“You've had six years.”
His shoulders dropped.
“When you married me, Melissa was furious.”
“She hated me?”
“She hated the idea of you becoming permanent.”
“Why?”
“Because she thought you were taking her place.”
“I never tried to.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you let her attack me?”
“I was trying to protect the children.”
“No.”
My voice hardened.
“You were protecting yourself.”
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
“What was Carter Family Consulting?”
“A shell company.”
“For what?”
“Money.”
“Whose?”
He didn't answer.
I grabbed my laptop.
“Then let's find out.”
I pulled up the bank records.
Daniel reached for my wrist.
“Don't.”
I pulled away.
“Do not touch me.”
He stopped.
I searched the company name.
A public record appeared.
The company had been dissolved two years ago.
Its bank account was closed.
But there were property transactions tied to it.
A house.
Two cars.
Investment transfers.
And one strange payment.
$120,000.
Recipient:
Phoenix Youth Outreach Foundation.
I frowned.
“What is this?”
Daniel looked at the screen.
He went silent.
“Daniel?”
“That money was for Jason and Alyssa.”
“How?”
He sat down.
“Melissa wanted a future fund for them.”
“That doesn't explain using my identity.”
“She didn't have good credit.”
“And I did.”
“Yes.”
I stared at him.
“You used me.”
He nodded.
“I thought I could fix it later.”
“Later never came.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I pointed toward the hallway.
“You let me spend my own money every month while your ex-wife was moving money through a company under my name.”
Daniel didn't defend himself.
That was almost worse.
I opened another file.
“What about this?”
I showed him the photographs.
The notes.
The messages telling Jason and Alyssa that I hated them.
Daniel's expression changed.
“I didn't write those.”
“I didn't say you did.”
“Melissa did.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you did nothing.”
“I tried.”
“By telling me to be patient?”
His eyes filled with regret.
“I thought if I stayed neutral, the kids would eventually grow out of it.”
“They didn't.”
“No.”
“They got worse.”
“I know.”
I looked at him.
“What did Melissa want?”
He whispered:
“She wanted you to leave.”
My chest tightened.
“Why?”
“She believed if you left, I would come back.”
The room was silent.
That was the answer.
Not the whole answer.
But enough.
I sat down.
“Then why didn't you divorce her?”
“We were already divorced.”
“No. I mean why didn't you shut her out?”
He looked at his hands.
“Because she knew something about me.”
My heart slowed.
“What?”
Before he could answer, the front door opened.
Jason walked inside.
He saw both of us.
He stopped.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“Did you tell her?”
Daniel's face went blank.
Jason's expression turned furious.
“You promised.”
I stared at him.
“Promised what?”
Jason looked at me.
For the first time, he didn't look like a rebellious teenager.
He looked frightened.
Then he said:
“Ask your husband why he was with Mom the night your son was born.”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
Jason turned toward the stairs.
Daniel jumped up.
“Jason!”
But Jason was already running.
I stood there.
My mind racing.
My son Ethan was eight years old.
I had given birth to him after Daniel and I were married.
Daniel had been there.
Or so I believed.
I turned toward my husband.
“Why was Melissa there?”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daniel.”
Still silence.
Then he whispered:
May you like
“Because Ethan wasn't supposed to survive.”
Everything inside me stopped.
