Linda suddenly stepped forward.
“This is ridiculous. Nathan loves you.”
I looked at her.
“Then why did he tell you he was going to get rid of me?”
She had no answer.
Nathan tried another approach.
“I made a stupid joke.”
“About taking my house?”
“Yes.”
“And my savings?”
“I wasn’t serious.”
“And my children?”
He became silent.
That was when Ben stood up.
He was only ten, but his voice carried across the entire garden.
“You don’t love us.”
Nathan looked at him.
“Ben—”
“You called us fre@k kids.”
I saw Nathan’s expression collapse.
Ben had heard the recording.
My youngest had been awake when I spoke to my coordinator the night before. He hadn’t said anything, but he’d remembered every word.
Nathan took one step toward him.
I immediately moved between them.
“Don’t.”
For the first time, his confident personality disappeared.
He looked frightened.
And that told me something.
There was more.
Much more.
I turned to him.
“What did you really want from me?”
He didn’t answer.
Linda did.
“He has debts.”
Nathan spun around.
“Mom!”
She covered her mouth.
The truth had escaped.
His company had been losing money for almost a year.
Several creditors were already demanding repayment.
He had been looking for a way to marry someone whose assets were completely separate from his debts.
My house.
My savings.
My children’s trust.
He hadn’t wanted a family.
He had wanted protection from financial disaster.
PART 5 — THE LAWYER WALKS IN
Before Nathan could say another word, a black sedan stopped near the entrance.
A woman in a charcoal suit stepped out carrying a thick leather briefcase.
I recognized her immediately.
Margaret Ellis.
My attorney.
She walked directly toward us.
“Mr. Nathan Reed?”
Nathan swallowed.
“Yes.”
“I’m here on behalf of Sharon.”
She handed him a document.
“This is notice that the proposed financial agreement you attempted to induce my client to sign has been rejected.”
She handed him another.
“These are copies of the asset-protection documents executed this morning.”
Another.
“And this is a formal demand that all financial records concerning her property and accounts be preserved.”
Nathan’s hands began trembling.
Linda stepped toward the attorney.
“Surely this is unnecessary.”
Margaret looked at her.
“Mrs. Linda Reed, perhaps you should consult your own attorney before making additional statements.”
Linda went silent.
I watched Nathan open the final document.
His eyes moved down the page.
Then he whispered:
“She filed for annulment.”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
“But we just got married.”
“No.”
I looked toward the officiant.
“We did not complete the legal registration.”
The officiant cleared his throat.
“Mrs. Reed instructed us not to file the paperwork until all documents had been reviewed.”
Nathan stared at me.
“You tricked me.”
“No.”
I looked directly into his eyes.
“I listened to you.”
PART 6 — THE CHILDREN HE NEVER SAW
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