Chapter 7 - THE PARTNERSHIP HE SWORE DIDN'T EXIST
Everett admitted it in the hospital.
“I invested with Grant.”
I stood beside the window.
“Clearly.”
“I was trying to make enough money to replace what I lost.”
“You keep making theft sound entrepreneurial.”
His face tightened.
“I never wanted your ranch.”
“You commissioned the mineral report.”
“Because Grant told me the land had potential.”
“You hid it from me.”
“Yes.”
“You partnered with him after learning he was blackmailing your mother.”
“Yes.”
I laughed once.
“Why?”
“Because I thought if I stayed close, I could control him.”
That was Everett.
Always believing one more secret arrangement could repair the previous secret arrangement.
I looked at him.
“Did you know about my grandfather’s records before proposing?”
He hesitated.
My stomach dropped.
“Everett.”
“Yes.”
One word.
Enough.
“Did you propose because of them?”
“No.”
“How can I believe you?”
“You can’t.”
For the first time, he said the right thing.
Not you should.
Not trust me.
You can’t.
He continued.
“I loved you before I knew about any of it.”
“That does not make what came after acceptable.”
“I know.”
“I asked you repeatedly whether Camille was a problem.”
“I lied.”
“I asked whether the house fund was safe.”
“I lied.”
“I asked whether your mother hated me.”
He almost smiled despite himself.
“She doesn’t hate you.”
“She notarized a forgery.”
“Fair.”
I folded my arms.
“Why did you keep lying?”
His eyes filled.
“Because every truth made me look worse.”
There it was.
Not protection.
Not compassion.
Cowardice.
“I kept thinking I could fix the situation before you saw what I had done.”
“You were trying to preserve the version of yourself I loved.”
“Yes.”
“That version didn’t exist anymore.”
His face broke.
“I know.”
I left.
Outside, Caleb waited by the elevators.
He had driven me.
Again.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Want coffee?”
“Yes.”
We bought terrible hospital coffee and sat in silence.
After a while, I said:
“You know what’s strange?”
“What?”
“I thought the hardest part would be finding out he cheated.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No.”
“The money?”
“No.”
“What was?”
I stared into my cup.
“Realizing he believed I only loved him because I didn’t know him.”
Caleb didn’t answer quickly.
Then:
“That sounds lonely.”
It was exactly the word.
My throat tightened.
“You’re annoyingly good at this for a real-estate attorney.”
“I have hidden skills.”
“Any useful ones?”
“I make decent pancakes.”
“Now we’re talking.”
He smiled.
Something warm passed between us.
Too soon.
I looked away.
Then his phone buzzed.
He checked it.
His expression changed.
“What?”
“The lender sent the original notarization journal.”
He opened the PDF.
Joanne’s entries were there.
The collateral document.
My forged signature.
But beside it was a second signature.
Witness:
Camille Porter.
My stomach dropped.
Camille had told me she knew nothing about the ranch.
May you like
She had lied.
Again.
Related Stories
