Chapter 4 - THE FIRST MAN WHO DIDN'T ASK HER TO RETURN
Vivian met attorney Daniel Mercer on January fourth.
He was forty-five, with tired eyes, neatly combed brown hair, and a reputation for representing clients against powerful corporations.
His office occupied the third floor of an old brick building in Madison.
There were no marble floors.
No armed guards.
No expensive paintings.
Just bookshelves, filing cabinets, and a receptionist who offered Vivian tea.
It felt safer than any luxury she'd known in four years.
Daniel listened as Vivian explained her marriage.
The locked bedroom.
The affair.
The threats about her unborn son.
The financial documents.
He didn't interrupt.
When she finished, he closed his notebook.
“First, I want you to understand something.”
Vivian looked up.
“You have legal rights.”
Her eyes filled.
Daniel continued.
“Your husband doesn't get to decide where you live simply because he's wealthy or because you're pregnant.”
Vivian swallowed.
“He said the baby belongs to his family.”
“Your child isn't property.”
She began crying.
Daniel handed her a tissue.
“I'm sorry.”
“You don't need to apologize.”
She wiped her eyes.
“I've been afraid for so long.”
“I understand.”
He leaned forward.
“We'll discuss protective measures, divorce, and future custody arrangements. We'll also work with the appropriate authorities regarding the financial evidence.”
Vivian nodded.
“Will Matteo know where I am?”
“We can discuss lawful ways to protect your address and personal information.”
She exhaled.
For the first time, she felt as though someone was explaining options instead of issuing orders.
Daniel examined the financial records.
His expression grew increasingly serious.
“Where did you get these?”
“From the Draven Foundation's accounting system.”
“Were you authorized to access them?”
“Yes. I managed charitable reporting for two years.”
Daniel nodded.
“Good. We'll need to establish exactly what you had access to and how the records were obtained.”
Vivian watched him.
“Are they bad?”
He looked at her.
“They raise serious questions.”
“How serious?”
“Serious enough that I want a financial-crimes specialist involved.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Could Matteo go to prison?”
Daniel was careful.
“That depends on what the evidence proves.”
Vivian looked down.
She had once loved Matteo so much it frightened her.
Part of her still did.
That was the cruelest part.
She could remember his tenderness.
The way he held her after their first miscarriage.
The night he sat beside her hospital bed and promised they would try again only if she wanted to.
The way he'd cried when they learned this pregnancy was healthy.
Those memories were real.
So was the kiss with Camille.
So was the locked door.
So was the fear.
Daniel seemed to understand.
“You don't have to decide how you feel about your husband today.”
Vivian looked up.
“You just need to decide what keeps you safe.”
She nodded.
That afternoon, Eleanor took Vivian to a prenatal appointment.
The doctor checked her blood pressure.
Monitored the baby's heartbeat.
Reviewed warning signs.
Everything looked reassuring.
Vivian cried when she heard the heartbeat.
Strong.
Steady.
Alive.
The doctor smiled.
“Your little boy seems to be doing well.”
Vivian pressed a hand to her stomach.
“Thank God.”
Later, as they walked toward the parking lot, Vivian noticed a black sedan parked across the street.
Its windows were tinted.
Her stomach tightened.
“Eleanor.”
The older woman followed her gaze.
“Get in the car.”
They drove away.
The sedan followed.
Vivian's heart pounded.
“It's Matteo.”
Eleanor glanced in the mirror.
“Maybe.”
“Don't go home.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
Eleanor drove toward a police station.
The sedan turned away before they reached it.
Vivian sat trembling.
Eleanor reached across the console.
“Breathe, sweetheart.”
Vivian closed her eyes.
She had escaped the estate.
But the fear had followed her.
That evening, Daniel called.
“Vivian, I need to tell you something.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What?”
“I spoke with a federal investigator about the financial records.”
“And?”
“They want to meet with you.”
Vivian swallowed.
“Why?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Because the documents appear to connect Blackwater Holdings to a series of suspicious transfers.”
She looked toward the window.
“How much money?”
A pause.
“More than forty million dollars.”
Vivian stopped breathing.
May you like
Then Daniel said something worse.
“Vivian, your name appears on several of the documents.”
