Chapter 15 - THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK|
Brooke appeared at my door on a rainy Thursday evening.
She looked different from the polished woman in the wedding photographs. Her hair was tied back, her eyes were swollen, and she wore an oversized sweater.
I almost closed the door.
“Please,” she said. “Just five minutes.”
I hesitated.
Then I stepped aside.
She stood in the living room, looking at the photographs on the mantel.
One showed me and Owen on our honeymoon.
Another showed us holding the first ultrasound image.
She stared at it for a long time.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
I said nothing.
She sat on the edge of the sofa.
“Ethan moved out.”
I looked at her.
“I'm sorry.”
She seemed surprised.
“You are?”
“I don't wish suffering on you. That doesn't mean I want you in my life.”
She nodded.
“I deserve that.”
I waited.
She took a breath.
“Owen told me he was going to leave you. He said he had already spoken to a lawyer. He said he only stayed because of the pregnancy.”
I looked at her.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I found something.”
She took a flash drive from her handbag.
“Owen gave me access to his office account. I found messages between him and Ethan.”
I didn't take it.
“Why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn't. But you should see what's on it.”
I looked at the flash drive.
“What is it?”
“An email chain about the loan. They planned to use the money to buy a property through Northlake. The wedding expenses were part of the arrangement. They used the wedding to make the transfers look like legitimate business payments.”
I felt my stomach turn.
“Why did you help them?”
She began crying.
“I wanted Owen to choose me.”
I stared at her.
“So you helped him steal from me.”
“I know.”
“And you watched me grieve.”
She covered her mouth.
“I didn't know the baby had died until the next morning. Owen told me he was coming to the hospital.”
I looked at her.
“He told you he was coming?”
“Yes.”
The room seemed to go quiet.
“He told me he was leaving the rehearsal early. He said he would be with you.”
I felt the old pain return.
“Then why didn't he come?”
Brooke shook her head.
“He said he couldn't risk people asking questions. He said if he left suddenly, Ethan would start asking why.”
I looked away.
So my husband had not merely chosen the rehearsal over me.
He had chosen secrecy over his dying daughter.
Brooke placed the flash drive on the table.
“I'll testify if the police need me.”
I stared at her.
“Why now?”
“Because I finally understand that he never intended to build a life with me. He wanted access to your money. He wanted the house. And he wanted me to believe I was special enough to help him get it.”
I didn't forgive her.
But I took the flash drive.
After she left, I gave it to Evelyn.
The files confirmed the financial scheme. They also revealed an additional payment.
A transfer of twenty thousand dollars to a private investigator.
The payment description read:
Bennett family medical inquiry.
I stared at it.
“What does that mean?”
Evelyn opened the attached report.
May you like
The investigator had been hired to obtain information about my pregnancy and medical appointments.
And the report had been ordered by Owen.
