Chapter 4 - The Dinner of False Smiles
At 6:30 PM, I returned home to our sprawling five-bedroom estate in Upper Arlington.
The house smelled of garlic and roast chicken. In the dining room, my mother-in-law, Ofelia, sat at the head of the long oak table, dressed in expensive pearls that Mark had bought her last Christmas.
Mark sat at the side, sipping vintage cabernet, looking relaxed and smug.
“Look who finally decided to come home,” Ofelia sneered, setting her wine glass down without looking at me. “A real wife is here to greet her husband with a warm plate when he works ten hours a day. You’ve been neglecting this house, Laura.”
Mark gave a dismissive smirk. “Leave it, Mom. Laura has been useless around here for months anyway. In fact, sit down, Laura. We need to talk.”
I walked into the dining room, set my handbag on the credenza, and remained standing.
“What is it, Mark?” I asked, keeping my voice gentle, even, and cooperative.
Mark pulled a sleek white envelope from his suit jacket and slid it across the polished table.
“This is an amicable marital separation agreement,” Mark announced, leaning back with practiced arrogance. “Crestview has taken heavy losses on recent commercial investments. The company is basically insolvent. I’m offering you $200,000 cash and the small townhouse in Dayton. In exchange, you sign over all remaining corporate voting shares and vacate this house by Sunday.”
Ofelia chimed in with a sharp cackle. “It’s more than you deserve, frankly. My son built this empire while you sat around grieving your father.”
I looked at the document, then looked up at Mark’s smug, unbothered face.
“Insolvent, Mark?” I smiled faintly. “Is that why Brenda Davis booked two first-class tickets to the Ritz-Carlton in Miami for this weekend on the company corporate card?”
May you like
Mark’s wine glass stopped an inch from his lips. The smug smile froze on his face.
“What... what did you just say?” Mark stammered.
