Chapter 6: What Nathan Finally Admitted
Nathan turned around so quickly he nearly stumbled.
“Give me that tablet.”
Grace held it behind her.
“Do not take another step.”
Lorraine pointed at Ben.
“That child recorded a private conversation.”
Ben hid against my side.
“No,” I said.
“My son recorded his grandmother helping set up his mother.”
Vanessa’s lips trembled.
“Mom said Emily would only shout.”
Lorraine seized her arm.
“Be quiet.”
The courthouse officer opened the door.
“Is there a problem?”
Grace lifted the tablet.
“There may be evidence relevant to the hearing.
We’re preserving it now.”
Nathan followed us inside.
“Emily, please.
Let’s discuss this without lawyers.”
“You filed for custody with a cropped video.”
“My attorney said I needed leverage.”
“Leverage against the mother of your children?”
“I never wanted to take them permanently.”
Lily stepped from behind Marisol.
“Then why did you tell the judge Mommy was dangerous?”
Nathan looked at his daughter, but his mouth opened without sound.
I knelt beside Lily.
“You did nothing wrong.”
She began to sob.
“I want our old daddy back.”
My eyes filled, and I pressed my forehead against hers.
Nathan crouched several feet away.
“Lily, I’m still your daddy.”
“No,” she cried.
“The old daddy looked at Mommy.”
Nathan sat back on his heels.
Grace touched my shoulder.
“Emily, the clerk will accept the recording under seal.
We have to move now.”
Nathan stood.
“Wait.”
He glanced at Lorraine, then shut the conference-room door.
“My mother borrowed money against my company,” he said.
Lorraine’s face went white.
“Nathan.”
“You told me you were handling it.”
“I was protecting you.”
He faced me.
“The business owes four hundred thousand dollars.
The lender demanded payment this month.”
“So you sold my home?”
“We were going to replace the money before closing.”
“You certified that my house was empty.”
“Mom prepared the papers.”
“And you signed them.”
His eyes dropped.
“Yes.”
The word silenced the room.
“Did you know my signature was false?” I asked.
“I knew you hadn’t signed the deed.”
Lily took my hand.
“Why the hospital authorization?” Grace asked.
Lorraine stepped forward.
“This is a privileged family discussion.”
“No,” Nathan said.
“It isn’t.”
He looked at me again.
“The morning after Ben was born, I told you the form allowed me to speak to the insurance company.
It was a broad property authorization.”
My knees weakened, but Marisol caught my elbow.
“You put papers under my hand while I could barely keep my eyes open.”
“I thought it would make Mom stop.”
“Did it?”
“No.”
“Did anything I gave your family ever make them stop?”
Nathan’s eyes filled.
“No.”
Lorraine snatched the tablet from the table.
Grace caught her wrist before she reached the door.
“Put it down.”
“You can’t use an illegal recording.”
“You don’t get to decide that.”
The courthouse officer entered and took the tablet from Lorraine.
Vanessa backed against the wall.
“Mom told me I was only witnessing Nathan’s signature.
She said Emily had already agreed.”
Lorraine stared at her daughter.
“After everything I’ve done for you, you choose her?”
“I’m choosing not to go down with you.”
Nathan covered his face.
I looked at him.
“Tell Grace who the buyer is.”
Lorraine answered first.
“A private investor.”
“Name them.”
Nathan lowered his hands.
“Carter Holdings.”
Grace frowned.
“Who controls it?”
“My mother.”
Lorraine lifted her chin.
“It’s a legitimate company.”
“You arranged to buy my house below market value,” I said.
“I arranged to preserve an asset.”
Grace opened her folder.
“And after Carter Holdings bought it?”
Nathan looked toward the floor.
“Answer her,” I said.
Lorraine’s voice cut through the room.
“Nathan, remember who kept your business alive.”
He looked at his mother.
“You planned to sell it to a developer for almost twice the amount.”
The courthouse officer reached for his radio.
Lorraine moved toward Nathan.
“If I fall, you fall with me.”
“I already have.”
Vanessa’s phone buzzed.
She read the screen and looked at Grace.
“Westbridge is deleting the electronic submission records.”
“Who warned you?” Grace asked.
“My supervisor.”
“Can you access the originals?”
“For another ten minutes.”
Grace handed her a laptop.
Vanessa entered her password, but a red message appeared before the files opened.
ACCOUNT TERMINATED.
Then Lorraine smiled.
May you like
“You wanted proof,” she said.
“Now it’s gone.”
