Chapter 4 - The House of Cards
"Not pregnant?" Adam whispered to the floor, his voice cracking with disbelief.
"She submitted a falsified medical record to the trust's executors to trigger the release of the funds," Mark explained through the phone.
"It was all a scam, Adam," I said, staring down at my soon-to-be ex-husband.
"She played you."
Helen began wailing from her chair, realizing her gambling debts were never going to be paid.
"But she showed me the ultrasound!" Adam protested, looking up at me with wild, desperate eyes.
"She bought it on the internet, you absolute fool," I replied, feeling a strange sense of vindication.
"Mark, what happens next?" I asked the accountant.
"My team is working with the FBI now," Mark stated professionally.
"Wire fraud, forgery, and conspiracy to commit grand larceny."
I looked at Helen, who had suddenly stopped crying and was now staring at the exit.
"The FBI will want to speak with whoever handed Brooke those documents," I said loudly.
Helen scrambled out of her chair, nearly tripping over her own high heels.
"I need to go," she stammered, rushing toward the door.
"Let her run," I told Jacob, who had moved to intercept his grandmother.
"She won't get far without her credit cards, which I canceled this morning."
Adam remained on his knees, surrounded by the shattered glass of his celebratory toast.
"Sarah, please," he begged, crawling a few inches toward my shoes.
"We can fix this. We can go to counseling."
I stepped backward, disgusted by his proximity.
"There is no 'we' anymore, Adam," I told him firmly.
"You are going to need a very good criminal defense attorney."
I linked my arms through Jacob's and Emma's.
"Let's go home, kids," I said softly.
May you like
We walked out of the ballroom, leaving Adam weeping amidst the ruins of the life he had so carelessly destroyed.
The cool night air felt like freedom against my skin.
