Chapter 6 - The Ledger of Betrayals
The room descended into a suffocating quiet. Even Natalie seemed stunned into momentary silence, her gaze darting between the document and David’s rapidly deteriorating composure.
"Eleanor," David said, his voice tightening as panic crept into his words, "she’s bluffing. That document is outdated. We have an emergency court petition drawn up—"
"You don't have an emergency petition, David," Grant interrupted from the doorway, pulling an iPad from his coat. His voice was flat, clinical, and devastating. "What you do have is a personal line of credit totaling three hundred and forty thousand dollars with an offshore sports betting syndicate in Macau. A line of credit that was called forty-eight hours ago."
Eleanor gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "What? David... what is he talking about?"
"It’s a lie!" David snapped, taking an aggressive step toward Grant, but Grant didn't even shift his weight. He stood six-foot-two of hardened ex-military police muscle, regarding David like an insect on a windshield.
"It’s forensic financial accounting, Mr. Vance," Grant continued calmly. "You forged Diana’s signature on a home equity loan on your primary residence three months ago. You funneled the cash through an LLC registered under Natalie’s maiden name. When the syndicate demanded collateral, you told Natalie that if she convinced Eleanor to sign over the Ross homestead, you’d use the equity to pay off the mob, split the remainder, and flee to Costa Rica."
The air left the room.
Natalie recoiled, staring at David with sudden, raw terror. "David? What does he mean, flee? You said we were going to buy the estate in the Hamptons! You said we were going to raise our baby together!"
"Shut up, Natalie!" David hissed, turning on her with teeth bared. "Just shut your damn mouth!"
"Don't you tell me to shut up!" Natalie shrieked, the veneer of high society completely shattering. She lunged across the table, knocking over a crystal vase that smashed violently against the floor. Water and yellow roses pooled around David’s Italian loafers. "You told me you loved me! You told me Diana was cold and unfeeling, that she never loved either of us! You begged me to sleep with you!"
"I slept with you because you were easy, and because you had access to your parents' safe deposit box!" David snarled, his mask finally ripping away completely. "You’re an insecure, desperate brat who would do anything to beat your sister at something! Look at you! You let me ruin your life for pocket change!"
Eleanor let out a wail of pure agony, burying her head in her hands, rocking back and forth in her chair. Her golden child and her perfect son-in-law were tearing each other apart over blood money.
I stepped between them, my presence a solid wall of iron.
"David," I said.
May you like
He flinched, looking at me with wild, bloodshot eyes.
"You have five minutes to leave this property before County Deputies arrive with an order of arrest for grand larceny," I told him. "And as for your unborn child..." I looked down at Natalie, whose tear-streaked face was flushed with ugly red blotches. "We’re going to the hospital right now. We are going to have a certified blood draw and an emergency ultrasound under state supervision."
