Chapter 5 - CHLOE’S FAMILY HAD BEEN LIED TO
Chloe met me at a coffee shop six blocks from my office.
No designer dress.
No perfect makeup.
She looked exhausted.
“I have twenty minutes.”
“Why can't Julian know?”
She ignored the question.
“Did you stop paying?”
“I stopped approving new expenses.”
“He says you're canceling the wedding.”
“I'm not.”
“He says you threatened him.”
“I told him to leave my apartment.”
Chloe rubbed her forehead.
“God.”
“Why am I banned?”
She looked down.
Finally:
“Julian said you were going to object.”
“To the marriage?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I?”
“He said you hate him.”
“I don't.”
“He said you told your parents he was marrying me for money.”
My stomach tightened.
“I never said that.”
She looked up.
“Never?”
“No.”
Her face changed.
“Then why did he show me a text?”
“What text?”
She opened her phone.
Screenshot.
Contact name:
Daniel.
Message:
You really think Chloe will stay once she realizes you're using her trust fund?
I had never sent it.
“That's fake.”
She stared.
“What?”
“Search our conversation.”
She did.
Nothing.
“He said you deleted it.”
“You can't delete a text from someone else's phone like that unless it's an app with unsend.”
It was supposedly SMS.
Chloe went pale.
“Why would he fake this?”
I knew.
To isolate her from me.
Because I might discover the debt plan.
“Chloe, how much money does Julian think you receive after the wedding?”
She became guarded.
“That's private.”
“Does he think it's more than two hundred thousand?”
Silence.
Enough.
I took out the loan documents Rachel had cleared me to disclose.
I covered sensitive numbers.
Slid them across.
Chloe read.
Her face slowly lost color.
“What is Mercer Hospitality Ventures?”
“Julian's company.”
“He told me it closed.”
“Apparently not.”
She kept reading.
“Two hundred forty thousand?”
“Original borrowing.”
“And you're guarantor?”
“Fraudulently.”
She looked at the signature.
“Oh my God.”
“My father appears involved.”
Chloe pushed back from the table.
“No.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, no, no.”
She covered her mouth.
“What?”
She started crying.
Not dramatically.
Quietly.
“I don't have a trust fund.”
Now it was my turn.
“What?”
“My parents have money. I don't.”
“But Julian—”
“I told him that.”
“When?”
“Months ago.”
“Then why does everyone keep saying you gain access after marriage?”
Her face twisted.
“Because his mother started saying it. I corrected Julian.”
“When?”
“Before we got engaged.”
Everything shifted again.
“Then Julian knows.”
“Yes.”
“So why does he think money appears after the ceremony?”
“I don't know.”
Unless—
“Does your family plan to give you something?”
Chloe hesitated.
“My grandmother created an investment account for future grandchildren.”
“How much?”
“Potentially several million.”
There it was.
“But it isn't mine,” Chloe said quickly. “It's a generation-skipping trust. I can't withdraw it. Neither can Julian.”
“Does he know?”
“Yes.”
“Does he understand?”
“I thought so.”
I doubted that.
“What happens when you have children?”
“Distributions can be made for education, healthcare, housing, things like that.”
“Who approves?”
“My father and an independent trustee.”
Not Julian.
Unless Julian believed marriage gave him leverage.
Or planned to pressure Chloe.
I felt sick.
“Chloe, did Julian ever ask you to add him to accounts?”
“Yes.”
“Insurance?”
“Yes.”
“Property?”
“Yes.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She looked at me.
“Daniel, what is happening?”
“I don't know all of it.”
“Are you going to cancel the wedding?”
“That's your decision.”
“But you're paying.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Good question.
Why was I?
Because I promised?
Because embarrassment?
Because Mom said family helps family?
Because stopping felt cruel?
I finally answered:
“I don't know anymore.”
Chloe looked toward the window.
Then said:
“I need to ask Julian something.”
“Don't tell him what I showed you yet.”
“Why?”
“Because if documents are being forged, I want evidence preserved.”
She nodded slowly.
We left separately.
That evening she called.
Crying.
“You were right.”
“What happened?”
“I asked Julian about the trust.”
“And?”
“He said after we're married he'll be able to ‘restructure’ it.”
“He can't.”
“I told him.”
“What did he say?”
“He got angry.”
I waited.
“He said my father promised him.”
That surprised me.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“Did he?”
“I called Dad.”
“And?”
“He says absolutely not.”
So Julian was lying again.
Or someone lied to Julian.
Then Chloe whispered:
“I asked him about the loans.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did he say?”
“He asked how I knew.”
Not denial.
“Chloe.”
“I know.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“My parents' house.”
Good.
“Stay there.”
“He keeps calling.”
“Don't meet him alone.”
Silence.
Then:
“Daniel?”
“Yes?”
“Why did he uninvite you?”
I finally understood.
May you like
“Because I was supposed to keep paying without being close enough to ask questions.”
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