Chapter 8 - THE HOUSE HE PLANNED TO MOVE INTO AFTER I PAID HIS DEBTS
The property was a three-bedroom townhouse forty minutes away.
Purchase pending.
Closing date:
Six weeks after the baby's due date.
Buyer:
Julian Bennett.
Sophie had never seen it.
“I swear.”
“I believe you.”
That surprised both of us.
The down payment was funded partly by Julian’s second loan.
The remaining amount—according to a lender note—would come from “anticipated refinance proceeds.”
My house.
Again.
The plan became brutally clear.
Use equity from my house.
Pay Helga and Marta.
Clear Julian’s debts.
Reserve money for the baby.
Close on Julian’s new townhouse later.
Then what?
Leave me?
Keep me temporarily?
Bring the baby into our house first?
I remembered his German sentence.
If she gets attached, she won't leave me.
Perhaps Julian had not decided.
That was almost worse.
He planned to preserve every option while I carried every cost.
Then Sophie’s prenatal paternity appointment produced a surprise.
She called me from the clinic parking lot.
“They need Julian’s sample.”
“Of course.”
“I asked him.”
“What did he say?”
“He got furious.”
Predictable.
“He said the baby obviously belongs to him.”
“Did you tell him you're doing the test anyway?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He accused me of sleeping around.”
I closed my eyes.
This from the married man sleeping with her.
Then Sophie whispered:
“He said something strange.”
“What?”
“He said if the baby isn't his, I ruin everything.”
Not “I’ll be heartbroken.”
Not “I love this baby.”
I ruin everything.
The baby was part of the architecture.
I told Rachel.
She said the same thing I was thinking.
“Don't assume motive. Document the statement.”
So we did.
Two days later, Julian agreed to provide a sample.
Probably because refusing would look worse.
Results would take several business days.
Meanwhile, Marta invited us to Sunday dinner.
Julian wanted to go.
“I think we need family around us.”
I almost smiled.
Family was exactly what I wanted.
I wore a simple navy dress.
Carried a bottle of wine.
Sat at the same table.
And placed my phone, recording only where legally permissible after Rachel advised me on what I could and could not do. More importantly, I did not need a recording to remember what they said.
Halfway through dinner, Marta switched to German.
“Is she still refusing the refinance?”
Julian answered, “For now.”
Helga glanced at me.
“Then make her afraid of losing the house.”
Klaus said nothing.
Julian whispered:
“I need another week.”
Marta laughed.
“For Sophie?”
“For the test.”
Helga’s face changed.
“What test?”
“Paternity.”
Silence.
Then Helga said the sentence that finally made Julian look frightened.
“You idiot. You were never supposed to test.”
I almost stopped breathing.
Julian stared at his mother.
“Why?”
May you like
And Helga looked down at her plate.
Because apparently she knew something about Sophie’s baby that Julian did not.
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