Chapter 7 - The Lover Who Started Protecting Himself
Cole hired his own attorney.
Then he stopped answering Natalie.
That told Ethan more than any romantic argument could have.
Within days, Cole’s lawyer contacted Mercer Residential’s counsel.
Cole was willing to cooperate with the internal financial review.
Not out of remorse.
Self-preservation.
His position was simple.
Natalie created Northline.
Natalie controlled the bank account.
Natalie decided how the money would be used.
Cole admitted approving invoices he knew were unusually vague.
He admitted concealing the affair.
He admitted receiving money personally from Natalie for travel and hotel expenses.
But he claimed Natalie told him the Northline payments represented deferred compensation Ethan “morally owed” her.
Ethan almost threw the summary across his lawyer’s office.
“Morally owed?”
His lawyer remained calm.
“His explanation doesn’t make the approvals proper.”
Cole also returned the office cabinet key.
The external drives were still there.
One contained archived project accounting.
Another contained tax records.
The third was missing.
Ethan checked the inventory spreadsheet he had created years earlier.
That drive held personal family financial backups.
Investment statements.
Tax returns.
Ava’s education account records.
Now he understood why Natalie had wanted the cabinet.
The financial betrayal may have extended beyond his company.
The education account was intact.
So were their retirement funds.
But one joint investment account showed three large withdrawals over eight months.
Total:
$146,000.
Ethan had approved them.
That was the disturbing part.
Each time, Natalie presented a reasonable household explanation.
Tax payment.
Home renovation deposit.
Insurance restructuring.
Ethan signed because he trusted her.
The money then moved through their joint checking account.
From there, portions went elsewhere.
Tracing would take time.
Ethan sat in the accountant’s office feeling foolish.
His attorney corrected him.
“Trusting your spouse isn’t evidence of stupidity.”
“It feels like it.”
“Then make sure that feeling doesn’t turn into revenge.”
Ethan looked over.
“What does that mean?”
“It means your daughter needs a father more than Natalie needs an enemy.”
The sentence stayed with him.
That evening, Ava asked whether her mother was going to jail.
Ethan answered honestly.
“I don’t know that your mom is going to jail.”
“Did she steal?”
“Adults are figuring out the money.”
“Did she cheat?”
Ethan hesitated.
Ava already knew.
“Yes.”
Her eyes filled.
“Why wasn’t I enough?”
Ethan’s chest tightened.
He moved his chair closer.
“This had nothing to do with whether you were enough.”
Ava whispered, “She picked him.”
Ethan realized then that Ava experienced the affair differently from him.
He felt betrayed as a husband.
May you like
Ava felt abandoned as a daughter.
And any future decision about Natalie would have to account for both wounds.
