Chapter 8 - JULIANNE'S PERFECT VACATION
Julianne Carter had never imagined that the Bahamas trip would end with federal agents waiting inside an empty mansion.
She had imagined something very different.
A new house.
A new lifestyle.
A man who could buy anything she wanted.
And a future in which she no longer needed to work twelve-hour days as a fitness instructor.
David had promised all of it.
He told her his marriage was practically over.
He described Maya as cold, controlling, and obsessed with maintaining appearances.
He said they stayed together only because of Lily.
Whenever Julianne asked why he hadn't filed for divorce, David offered another excuse.
The business was too busy.
His attorneys needed more time.
Maya was emotionally unstable.
There was always something.
But during the yacht vacation, he finally began discussing a concrete plan.
They would return to Chicago.
He would announce the separation.
Then they would relocate to Miami while he reorganized his investment company.
Julianne believed him.
Until the arrest.
After federal agents allowed her to leave the mansion, she drove directly to her apartment.
For nearly an hour, she sat in the parking garage, gripping the steering wheel.
Lily was dead.
David was under arrest.
And everything Julianne thought she understood about her relationship had suddenly become uncertain.
She remembered the hospital call.
Not the entire conversation.
Just one moment.
They had been sitting on the yacht's upper deck during their second morning in the Bahamas.
David's phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression changed.
Julianne asked, "Is something wrong?"
David laughed.
"Maya again."
"Is everything okay at home?"
"She always finds a reason to ruin a good time."
Julianne looked toward the blue water.
"Maybe you should answer."
David dismissed the suggestion.
"If I answer once, she'll call twenty more times."
He placed the phone facedown.
A few minutes later, it vibrated again.
And again.
Eventually, David turned it off.
At the time, Julianne felt flattered.
He was choosing her.
Now she understood that his choice had been far more serious than she knew.
Three days after the arrest, her attorney arranged an interview with federal investigators.
Julianne wanted to cooperate.
She had never worked for Vance Capital.
She had not signed investment agreements.
She knew little about David's companies.
But she had seen things.
Expensive watches appearing in his luggage.
Large cash payments.
A second phone he rarely used around her.
And private conversations with a man named Ethan Cole.
During one dinner aboard the yacht, David became visibly angry after receiving a call.
Julianne remembered his exact words.
"If Mercer can't handle a few signatures, I'll find someone who can."
He ended the conversation and ordered another bottle of champagne.
She thought it was merely business stress.
Now the remark seemed very different.
The investigators asked Julianne to describe the yacht charter.
She explained that David arranged everything.
The booking.
The travel.
The expenses.
She also provided messages in which he had promised to support her financially after leaving Maya.
One message stood out.
When this is done, Maya won't be able to touch the money.
Julianne had assumed he meant their divorce settlement.
Investigators considered whether it had a different meaning.
Later, Julianne asked to speak with Maya.
Rebecca initially advised against it.
But after consulting with investigators about any potential interference, she agreed to arrange a brief meeting in her office.
Maya entered the conference room wearing a navy sweater and black trousers.
Julianne stood immediately.
"Mrs. Vance."
"Maya is fine."
Julianne looked uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry."
Maya sat down.
"For what?"
Julianne's eyes filled.
"For Lily."
Maya watched her.
Julianne continued.
"I didn't know she was sick."
"I believe you."
Julianne looked startled.
"You do?"
Maya nodded.
"David was very good at controlling what people knew."
Julianne lowered her eyes.
"I thought you were getting divorced."
"We weren't."
"He told me—"
"I know what he told you."
Maya's voice remained calm.
Julianne swallowed.
"I should have asked more questions."
Maya looked toward Rebecca.
Then back to Julianne.
"Yes."
The simple answer seemed to affect Julianne more than anger would have.
She folded her hands.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Maya waited.
"On the yacht, David talked about moving to Miami."
"I know."
"He said you were going to lose everything."
Maya remained still.
Julianne looked down.
"He laughed about it."
Rebecca watched carefully.
Julianne continued.
"He said you'd spent years living off his success."
Maya's expression did not change.
"He said you wouldn't survive without him."
Silence filled the room.
Maya considered the words.
Once, they would have devastated her.
Now they sounded like a stranger's description of a woman who no longer existed.
"Did he mention Lily?" Maya asked.
Julianne nodded slowly.
"He said she'd adjust."
Maya looked at her.
Julianne's voice shook.
"He said children are resilient."
Maya turned toward the window.
For a moment, she pictured Lily sitting at the kitchen table, carefully coloring between the lines of a drawing.
Then she looked back.
"Thank you for telling me."
Julianne wiped her eyes.
"Do you hate me?"
Maya considered the question.
"I don't know you well enough to hate you."
Julianne stared.
"But you knew he was married."
"Yes."
"And you knew he had a daughter."
Julianne nodded.
Maya stood.
"Those were your choices."
She picked up her handbag.
"Now you'll have to decide what kind of person you want to be after them."
As Maya reached the door, Julianne spoke again.
"There's one more thing."
Maya turned.
Julianne hesitated.
"David told me he had a plan if the company was investigated."
Rebecca became alert.
"What plan?"
Julianne looked toward Maya.
"He said he had someone who would take the fall."
Maya felt her stomach tighten.
"Who?"
May you like
Julianne swallowed.
"He called her his insurance policy."
