Chapter 8 - The Decision Dustin Couldn't Control
Hannah moved out of Dustin's apartment before he was served with anything.
That mattered to her.
She did not want to leave because a court told her to.
She wanted to choose it.
Two friends helped pack while Dustin was at the gym.
I carried boxes.
I did not direct.
That was harder than it sounds.
By sunset, Hannah had taken her clothes, work laptop, Laura’s photographs, and the kitchen mixer her mother bought her when she turned twenty-five.
She left the television.
The furniture.
Most of the dishes.
Things could be divided later.
Safety came first.
Her attorney helped her request an appropriate protective order based on what Hannah was prepared to state under oath.
Nothing happened instantly.
There were forms.
Questions.
A hearing process.
Dustin found out she had left before any court appearance.
He called sixteen times.
Hannah didn't answer.
Then Pierce called.
She did.
“Come back to the gym,” he said.
“No.”
“We need to straighten this out.”
“No.”
“Hannah, Dustin has an important fight in six weeks.”
She almost laughed.
“You still think that's the important part?”
Pierce changed tactics.
“If promoters hear allegations before there's even an investigation—”
“They'll ask questions.”
“You know what that could cost him.”
Hannah's voice became very quiet.
“Yes.”
Pierce paused.
Apparently he had expected guilt.
He got none.
Then he said the sentence that changed everything.
“You think Dustin is the only one who used your money?”
Hannah looked at me.
“What does that mean?”
Pierce immediately backtracked.
“I didn't say anybody used anything.”
“You just did.”
He hung up.
Within an hour, Val—Hannah's attorney—sent Pierce a preservation notice regarding financial records connected to payments originating from Hannah’s accounts.
Pierce reacted faster than expected.
He called Dustin.
We knew because Dustin sent Hannah a furious voicemail minutes later.
“You dragged Pierce into this? Do you have any idea what you've done?”
Not:
You’re lying.
Not:
I never took your money.
Not:
Those transfers were authorized.
His fear was directed at Pierce.
Hannah replayed the voicemail once.
Then stopped it.
“He's scared of the coach now.”
I wasn't convinced.
“Or he's scared of what the coach has.”
That evening Evan called.
Pierce had closed access to the private fighter portal.
Every fighter account displayed a maintenance message.
For the first time, Pierce had made an obvious move after being challenged.
May you like
And it told us something important.
Whatever the portal contained, he now believed it could hurt him.
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