Chapter 6 - THE THIRTY-SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLAR SECRET
Rebecca Shaw called on a rainy Tuesday morning.
“Emma, we've received preliminary financial records.”
I sat up.
“What did you find?”
She paused.
“Several transfers from Daniel's account shortly after your contribution arrived.”
My stomach tightened.
“To whom?”
“An account associated with Mia Collins.”
I closed my eyes.
“How much?”
“Thirty-seven thousand dollars.”
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Every missing dollar.
Transferred to Mia.
Rebecca continued carefully.
“We'll need complete records and context before drawing legal conclusions. But this is significant.”
I nodded.
Even though she couldn't see me.
“What do we do?”
“We preserve the evidence and proceed through counsel.”
After the call, I sat at my kitchen table.
I thought about the townhouse.
The down payment.
The wedding.
The future I'd imagined.
Then I remembered something.
Three months earlier, Mia had posted photographs of a new car.
A silver SUV.
She'd written:
New beginnings. So grateful for the people who always believe in me.
Daniel had commented:
You deserve it.
I opened the photograph.
The date matched the transfers.
My hands began shaking.
I wanted to call Daniel.
To scream.
To demand answers.
Instead, I called Olivia.
She arrived twenty minutes later.
I showed her the records.
She stared.
Then whispered:
“Oh, Emma.”
I nodded.
“Yeah.”
For the first time since canceling the wedding, I felt genuine anger.
Not embarrassment.
Not disappointment.
Anger.
Because Daniel hadn't simply prioritized Mia emotionally.
He had used money I'd contributed toward our future to help finance hers.
Without telling me.
That evening, Daniel sent a message.
I know you're talking to lawyers. This is getting ridiculous.
I didn't respond.
Another message arrived.
We were going to be married. Our money was going to be shared anyway.
I stared at it.
Then forwarded it to Rebecca.
The next morning, Daniel called.
I answered only after Rebecca confirmed I could tell him to direct financial matters through counsel.
“Emma,” he said, sounding exhausted.
“What do you need?”
“Can we please stop this?”
“Stop what?”
“Turning our relationship into a legal battle.”
I looked toward the window.
“Daniel, where did the thirty-seven thousand dollars go?”
Silence.
Then:
“Mia needed help.”
I closed my eyes.
“What kind of help?”
“She was starting over.”
“With a new car?”
He sighed.
“It's more complicated than that.”
“Did you ask me?”
“No.”
“Did you tell me?”
“No.”
“Did you intend to?”
Silence.
I swallowed.
“Daniel.”
He finally spoke.
“I thought once we were married, it wouldn't matter.”
I felt something inside me break cleanly.
Not painfully.
Just completely.
“You thought thirty-seven thousand dollars wouldn't matter?”
“I thought you'd understand why I helped her.”
I stared at the wall.
“Daniel, you didn't help her with your money.”
He said nothing.
“You helped her with mine.”
He exhaled sharply.
“That's not fair.”
I almost laughed.
“You're right.”
A pause.
“It isn't.”
I ended the call.
Then I took off my engagement ring.
Placed it in its box.
May you like
And closed the lid.
For the first time, I didn't cry.
