Chapter 8 - The Choice Ryan Could No Longer Undo
Erin rejected the house offer.
The decision frightened her.
She had a baby, inconsistent freelance income, legal bills, and no guarantee the divorce would end favorably.
Eight hundred thousand dollars of apparent security was not nothing.
But taking it in exchange for ignorance would mean allowing Ryan to buy the one thing he needed most.
No questions.
Leah filed Erin's formal response.
She sought ordinary temporary support, preservation of assets, complete financial disclosure, and a parenting schedule centered on Noah's age and routine.
She did not ask for sole custody.
She did not accuse Ryan of crimes she could not prove.
She also did not withdraw the share-related discovery.
Three days later Mercer Biomedical's audit committee placed Ryan on temporary administrative leave from financial reporting duties.
He remained employed.
No dramatic security escort removed him.
No police appeared.
His deputy CFO assumed signing authority while outside accountants reviewed the related-party transaction.
Victoria blamed Erin anyway.
“You got exactly what you wanted.”
Erin answered from Megan's kitchen.
“I didn't know an audit committee existed until three weeks ago.”
“Ryan may lose the company his father built.”
“Then he should answer the auditors.”
“You think companies survive scandals because everybody tells the truth?”
Erin stopped.
“That's a strange thing for a board chair to say.”
Victoria hung up.
That afternoon Caroline arrived with Noah's baby blanket that had been left at the Mercer house.
She sat at Megan's table.
“Mom resigned as audit committee liaison.”
“Why?”
“Conflict of interest.”
Caroline rubbed her forehead.
“She says it's temporary.”
Erin looked at her.
“Do you think she knew what Ryan was doing?”
“I think Mom has spent thirty-eight years believing protecting Mercer Biomedical and protecting our family are the same thing.”
“They're not.”
“I know.”
Caroline looked toward Noah.
“Ryan probably doesn't.”
Before leaving, Caroline said something else.
“There's a woman named Lauren Pike.”
Erin stiffened.
“Who is she?”
“Corporate lawyer. Outside counsel. Mom has been inviting her to family dinners for months.”
Erin remembered Ryan's kitchen taunt.
My mother already found me another woman.
“Are Ryan and Lauren together?”
“I don't know.”
“Has she been advising him on the divorce?”
“I don't know that either.”
Erin felt anger rising and forced herself to stop.
Another woman could become a distraction.
The money mattered more.
The side letter mattered more.
She told Leah about Lauren only because outside counsel might be connected to the transaction documents.
Leah investigated through proper discovery.
Two days later she called Erin.
“Lauren Pike didn't prepare Ryan's divorce papers.”
“Okay.”
“But she did draft the March fourteenth side letter.”
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Suddenly Ryan's cruel sentence in the kitchen had a second meaning.
The woman Victoria had “found” for him had already been inside the financial secret before Erin knew her marriage was ending.
