Chapter 4 - The Truth in Black and White
By Tuesday morning, the Vance family was gathered inside Daniel's living room. The dirty dinner plates from Friday night were still stacked in the sink, attracting fruit flies. Without me there to clear the table, mop the hardwood, and run the dishwasher, the immaculate kitchen had rapidly deteriorated into chaos.
Marissa was pacing the floor, her eyes bloodshot, clutching a formal expulsion notice from Evan’s school. Evan was slumped on the sofa, sullen and humiliated, furiously tapping on his phone as his classmates mocked him in group chats for being escorted off campus by security.
""You have to sue her!"" Marissa screamed at Daniel. ""She abandoned this family! She is legally obligated to support your household! She can't just leave Evan high and dry right before exams!""
""Shut up, Marissa!"" Daniel yelled, grabbing his hair in both hands. ""Just shut the hell up! I went to the bank this morning. I demanded to see the master records for the black card.""
Evelyn sat in the armchair, clutching a glass of tap water because the delivery service had stopped bringing the imported mineral water I usually ordered. ""And? What did the manager say? Did he arrest her for stealing your funds?""
Daniel threw a thick stack of printed bank statements onto the coffee table. The paper slapped against the wood like a gunshot.
""She didn't steal anything,"" Daniel said, his voice trembling so violently he could barely speak. ""The account wasn't in my name. It was never in my name. The primary account belongs to 'Vance Holdings LLC,' an entity wholly owned by Nora. The credit line was backed by her stock portfolio in a logistics company she co-founded eight years ago.""
Marissa frowned, snatching up the top sheet. Her eyes darted across the figures, widening until they looked like they might pop from their sockets. ""This... this balance can't be real. Three point eight million dollars in liquid cash? A monthly dividend yield of forty-five thousand dollars?!""
""Look at the bottom,"" Daniel whispered, slumping onto the edge of the table. ""Look at the outgoing transfers.""
Marissa flipped the page.
St. Jude's Academy: $5,000.
Oakridge Luxury Living (Evelyn Vance Lease): $4,200.
Apex Physical Therapy (Evelyn Vance): $1,800.
Marissa Vance Auto Loan Assistance: $650.
Daniel Vance Personal Expense Float: $8,500.
Every single luxury they enjoyed, every single bill they assumed was being paid by Daniel’s masculine prowess, had been stamped with Nora’s corporate electronic signature.
""She paid my car note?"" Marissa muttered, her voice dropping to a horrified squeak. ""She paid for my son’s private school? But... but she wore sweaters from discount outlets! She cooked every night! She cleaned the bathrooms!""
""Because she didn't care about showing off!"" Daniel roared, turning on his sister with eyes blazing with sudden, terrifying clarity. ""She didn't need to wear gold chains to know what she was worth! And you... you sat at her table, ate the food she bought and cooked, and told her she was a gold-digging freeloader living off my sweat!""
""You agreed with me!"" Marissa screamed back, pointing a manicured finger at his chest. ""You're the one who asked for the divorce! You wanted to look like the big man in front of us! Don't you dare put this on me, Daniel! You wanted to be the king, and now you're just a clown with an empty bank account!""
""Both of you stop it!"" Evelyn cried, clutching her chest. ""Daniel, you have to go to her. You have to apologize. Tell her you were under stress at work. Tell her you didn't mean it. She is carrying your child! A woman carrying your baby won't let her husband starve!""
Daniel looked at his mother, and for the first time in his life, he saw the grotesque entitlement that had ruined him.
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""She offered to show us the ultrasound, Mom,"" Daniel said quietly, tears finally spilling over his cheeks. ""And you told her she was using a baby to trap me. Marissa laughed at her. Do you really think she's going to welcome me back with open arms?""
***
