Chapter 6 - MY HUSBAND WANTED ME GONE FROM MORE THAN THE HOUSE
The messages changed the company’s investigation.
Until then, Carl could argue that he approved questionable payments while hiding an affair and pursuing a private investment.
Bad.
Possibly criminal.
But the message suggested he saw me as an operational threat.
“Once Laura is out of the way, the numbers problem goes away too.”
What did that mean?
Priya found the answer.
My department was scheduled to merge with Carl’s after the new fiscal year.
If Carl received the Director promotion, I would technically fall under his chain of authority.
He would be able to reassign me.
Limit my access.
Potentially remove me from vendor analytics.
He had been planning not only to divorce me.
He was positioning himself above me professionally.
David looked furious when he realized it.
“I approved that restructuring.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have asked more questions.”
At least he owned that.
Then HR found another deleted message.
Sheila:
Will Laura accept reporting to you?
Carl:
She’ll complain at home and cooperate at work.
I stared at the screen.
There was no insult dramatic enough to match how casually he had reduced me.
Twenty-three years had convinced him he knew the limit of my resistance.
Then Sheila:
And if she finds Meridian?
Carl:
She won’t understand enough to prove anything.
I laughed.
David did not.
That same afternoon, federal investigators interviewed me.
I told them everything.
The forged bank account.
The retirement transfer.
The home-equity attempt.
My cost report.
Carl’s comments.
No embellishment.
No revenge.
Facts.
When they asked whether Carl had ever discussed Meridian Facilities at home, I remembered one dinner.
He complained about “idiots in procurement” slowing down vendor payments.
I told him controls existed for a reason.
He had rolled his eyes.
“Not everyone wants to live inside one of your spreadsheets, Laura.”
I had laughed then.
Now the sentence felt different.
After the interview, Emily and Nathan came to my hotel.
Together.
Nathan looked furious.
Emily looked exhausted.
“Are you divorcing him?”
“Yes.”
Nathan nodded.
“Good.”
Emily immediately said:
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Make Mom think she has to hate Dad because we do.”
The room went quiet.
She was right.
I sat between them.
“You can love your father.”
Nathan stared.
“After what he did?”
“Yes.”
“What if I don’t want to see him?”
“That is also your decision.”
Emily started crying.
“He keeps calling me.”
“What does he say?”
“That he made mistakes.”
Nathan snorted.
“He cheated.”
Emily glared at him.
“I know.”
I touched her hand.
“You are not his therapist.”
Then my phone buzzed.
Carl.
Not calling.
A photo.
Our wedding picture.
Message:
I FOUND THIS IN THE HOUSE. TELL ME THIS MEANS NOTHING.
I stared at it.
Then replied:
It means we were married.
Nothing more.
His answer came instantly.
I still love you.
I did not respond.
Love had never been the only requirement.
Then Nathan’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Dad.
He declined it.
A second later, voicemail.
Nathan listened.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He put it on speaker.
Carl’s voice.
“Nathan, I need you to check your mom’s office at home. There’s a gray flash drive in her desk. I need it before investigators get it.”
May you like
The room froze.
Carl was asking our son to remove evidence.
