Chapter 9: The Last Thing She Signed
Six weeks later, Vivienne's attorney called Grace's office to arrange what he described as a mutual resolution meeting.
Grace described it to Ethan as Vivienne running out of options.
The meeting took place in Grace's conference room on a Thursday afternoon.
Vivienne arrived with Fitch and a second attorney Ethan didn't recognize.
She was in a dark coat and low heels and she looked like someone who had slept poorly for six weeks and was presenting herself as though that were not the case.
Ethan was there.
Grace was beside him.
On Grace's right was a forensic accountant named Dr.
Reyes who had spent three weeks combing through fourteen months of transfers and had produced, as a result, a document that was forty-seven pages long.
Fitch opened.
"My client acknowledges certain financial irregularities," he said, "and is prepared to address them in good faith.
In exchange, we are requesting that the fraud characterization be removed from the filing and that this matter be resolved privately."
Grace looked at the table.
"The fraud characterization is accurate," she said.
"We will not remove it.
We are, however, prepared to agree not to escalate to criminal referral provided full restitution is made within thirty days, the cooperation agreement with Mr.
Hale is executed without alteration, and your client signs the attached acknowledgment."
She slid three copies of a document across the table.
Fitch read it.
He leaned toward Vivienne.
They exchanged a quiet word that no one at the other side of the table was meant to hear clearly.
Vivienne looked up.
She looked at Ethan.
It was the first time she had looked directly at him since the chapel.
"I want to say something," she said.
Fitch put his hand on her arm.
She moved her arm.
"I want to say something," she said again.
To Ethan.
Ethan looked at her.
"I did love you," she said.
"At some point.
I think that's true.
It became something else, and I let it, and I made choices I can't justify.
But I want you to know that it wasn't entirely—" She paused.
"It wasn't only the money.
At the beginning."
The room was quiet.
"I believe you," Ethan said.
She looked surprised.
"It doesn't change anything," he said.
"But I believe you."
She looked down at the document in front of her.
She picked up the pen.
She signed.
Fitch signed as her attorney.
Grace signed as the filing party's representative.
Dr.
Reyes initialed each exhibit.
The second attorney notarized.
The restitution wire transferred four days later.
All of it.
Grace called Ethan when it cleared.
"It's done," she said.
"All of it?"
"Every cent.
Interest included." A pause.
"Marcus's cooperation agreement was executed this morning as well.
He's repaid his portion."
Ethan was standing at the window in his office.
Below him the city was exactly what it always was.
"Close the file," he said.
"Already done," Grace said.
"Ethan.
It's over."
He stood at the window for another minute after the call ended.
He thought about the hallway.
The golden light.
The smile he had been wearing on the way to surprise her.
How real that smile had felt before he opened the door.
He thought about the key on the counter.
May you like
He thought about the name he had seen at the top of that page in Grace's office, and the forty-minute drive home, and the kettle he had never poured.
Then he went back to his desk and opened the file he had been working on before Grace called.
