Chapter 2 - THE FORTY-NINE PERCENT
At 8:12 the next morning, Ethan called for the twenty-third time.
I declined it.
I was sitting inside a penthouse overlooking uptown Charlotte that belonged to Daniel’s sister, who was spending the winter in Florida.
Daniel placed a folder on the kitchen island.
“Eat first.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Your daughter probably is.”
That worked.
I took two bites of toast before opening the folder.
The first page contained Ethan’s signature.
The second contained mine.
I frowned.
“What is this?”
“Mercer Development’s restructuring agreement from five years ago.”
“I’ve seen it.”
“You saw the version Ethan’s former CFO gave you.”
Something cold moved through me.
Daniel turned to page seventeen.
There was my maiden name.
CLAIRE BENNETT.
Beneath it:
BENNETT FAMILY CAPITAL TRUST — 49%.
I stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
“I never invested that much.”
“Your father did.”
My breathing stopped.
My father had died six years earlier.
He had owned a small construction supply company in Asheville. Comfortable, yes.
Rich?
Never.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Your father funded Ethan’s first major development after three banks rejected him.”
I shook my head.
“He couldn’t have.”
“He mortgaged his company, sold two properties, and brought in three private investors.”
“Why?”
“Because you loved Ethan.”
The room blurred.
I remembered my father telling me, only months before our wedding, that Ethan would either become extraordinarily successful or destroy himself trying.
I had never known what he meant.
“How much?”
“Initially? Four-point-eight million.”
I nearly dropped the papers.
Daniel continued.
“When Ethan’s company expanded, your father converted the debt into protected equity. After his death, that equity transferred into a trust.”
“For me?”
“And any children you had.”
My hand moved over Lily.
“Does Ethan know?”
Daniel was silent too long.
My stomach sank.
“He knows.”
“Yes.”
The betrayal was different from Vanessa.
Quieter.
Older.
“He never told me.”
“Your father asked him to.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Your father’s instructions required notification under specific circumstances.”
“What circumstances?”
Daniel turned another page.
Divorce.
Death.
Sale of controlling interest.
Or an attempted transfer that could materially damage the Bennett Trust.
My heart started beating faster.
“Something happened.”
Daniel nodded.
“Three weeks ago, Ethan attempted to move assets from Mercer Development into a new corporation.”
“Why?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to determine.”
My phone lit up.
ETHAN.
Then another number called.
Unknown.
I answered.
“Hello?”
A woman whispered, “Mrs. Mercer?”
“Yes?”
“You don’t know me. My name is Rachel Wynn. I work in accounting for Mercer Development.”
Daniel’s eyes lifted.
Rachel sounded terrified.
“Your husband isn’t having an affair.”
I closed my eyes.
“Then why are you calling?”
“Because Vanessa Reed isn’t sleeping with Ethan.”
A pause.
“She’s stealing from him.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“How much?” I asked.
Rachel inhaled shakily.
“I don’t know yet. Maybe millions.”
Then her voice dropped.
“But Mrs. Mercer, that isn’t the worst part.”
“What is?”
“She isn’t doing it alone.”
The call suddenly filled with static.
“Rachel?”
“I found another signature on the transfers.”
“Whose?”
A door slammed somewhere on her end.
Rachel gasped.
Then she whispered four words that changed everything.
May you like
“Your husband’s business partner.”
The line went dead.
