Chapter 6 - THE EMPTY BEDROOM
Daniel returned to the hospital just before midnight.
Olivia was sitting up, reading a message from Rachel. Her color had improved, but the bruises around her wrists were still visible.
He told her what Vanessa had said.
Olivia listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she closed her eyes.
“I knew he wouldn't stop.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before I disappeared, I found a folder in Ethan's office. It contained a list of payments, names, and dates. One of the names was a family court clerk. Another belonged to a private investigator.”
Daniel's stomach tightened.
“Why would a court clerk be involved?”
“I think Ethan was building a custody case. He wanted to make it look like I was unstable and that you were too distracted by the company to care for Lily.”
Daniel sat down.
“Why?”
“Because Lily's trust has a provision that changes when she turns seven. Your father set it up so the trustee must be approved by both parents while she's a minor. If one parent is declared unfit or unavailable, the other parent's appointed representative can take control.”
Daniel remembered the amendment.
Ethan hadn't simply wanted money.
He wanted legal control over Lily's inheritance.
“And you found out?”
“I found the documents two years ago. That's when the messages started. Ethan told me you had been seeing someone else. He sent me photographs that made it look like you were meeting Vanessa before we separated.”
Daniel looked away.
“I never knew.”
“I know now.”
She reached for his hand.
“Daniel, I need to tell you something. When I left, I wasn't trying to abandon Lily. I was trying to keep her safe. I thought if I disappeared, Ethan would stop using her to get to you.”
“You should have told me.”
“I tried. But every message I sent came back with something that made me believe you didn't want me near you.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
He had spent two years angry at Olivia for leaving. Now he understood that someone had carefully built that anger.
A knock came at the door.
Detective Harris entered with a tablet.
“We found Ethan's vehicle,” he said. “It's parked outside your father's old office. The building's alarm was disabled about forty minutes ago.”
Daniel stood.
“Is he inside?”
“We don't know. Officers are on the way.”
Olivia gripped his hand.
“Don't go alone.”
“I won't.”
The detective looked at her.
“Mrs. Mercer, we need to ask you about the investigator you mentioned.”
Olivia gave him the name.
The detective recognized it immediately.
“That's important. He's already under investigation for falsifying records in another custody dispute.”
Daniel felt the room grow colder.
May you like
Ethan had been planning this for years.
And he had used the people Daniel loved to make sure no one would stop him.
