Chapter 10 - THE PLAN TO TAKE MIA
I read the sentence three times.
Establish residency with Mia.
Before Rachel could file.
The meaning was obvious.
Months before our daughter was born, Sylvia had been thinking about a custody battle that did not exist.
And Ethan had never told me.
“You knew she talked about this?”
“Not like this.”
“What did you know?”
He leaned against the table.
“She made comments.”
“What comments?”
“That if we ever separated, I shouldn’t leave the house.”
“That’s standard advice.”
“She also said I should make sure Mia stayed with me.”
My stomach twisted.
“And you didn’t think that was important to mention?”
“You weren’t even talking about divorce.”
“Neither was I. Sylvia was.”
We didn’t sleep.
The next morning, Lena arranged for a forensic accountant named Calvin Reed to examine records Ethan could legally provide.
Within one day, he found something strange.
Money Ethan sent Sylvia had not all remained in her accounts.
Large portions moved into an LLC.
Northfield Family Holdings.
Ethan had never heard of it.
The registered mailing address belonged to Grant Keller.
The company had purchased one property.
A townhouse outside Boston.
The same house Sylvia wanted us to move into.
I stared at the report.
“So our money helped buy it.”
Calvin nodded.
“And ownership?”
“Northfield Family Holdings.”
“Who owns the LLC?”
“That’s what we’re tracing.”
Ethan’s face was gray.
He called Sylvia.
This time he put her on speaker.
“Mom, who owns Northfield?”
Silence.
Then:
“Why are you digging through things you don’t understand?”
“Answer me.”
“I was protecting your future.”
“With eighty-seven thousand dollars?”
“You would have wasted it.”
I almost spoke, but Ethan shook his head.
He wanted her talking.
“What did Grant help you do?”
Sylvia’s tone sharpened.
“Grant understands what happens when men let emotional wives control family wealth.”
I felt something inside me go perfectly calm.
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Did you forge my signature?”
“No.”
“Did Grant?”
Another silence.
Then Sylvia said:
“You need to ask better questions.”
The line went dead.
An hour later, Grant finally returned Ethan’s call.
His voice shook.
“I can explain everything.”
“Then explain.”
“I never forged your name.”
Ethan stared at the phone.
“Who did?”
Grant whispered:
“Your mother brought me documents already signed.”
“That signature wasn’t mine.”
“I know that now.”
“When did you know?”
Grant took a breath.
“After Rachel gave birth.”
I felt my skin crawl.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because Sylvia had something on me.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
May you like
Grant said six words that changed the entire direction of the investigation.
“She knew I stole from you.”
