Chapter 3: What Daniel Knew
The name on Julian's phone was Daniel Foss.
I hadn't heard that name in five years.
Not since the morning I came home early from a conference, found Chloe in my kitchen, and watched Marcus's entire carefully constructed world begin to crack at the edges.
Daniel had been Marcus's college roommate, his first business partner, the best man at our wedding.
He had stood six feet from me at the altar with a boutonniere on his lapel and a secret he never once tried to tell me.
Julian guided me gently away from Marcus and Chloe, one hand at the small of my back, Emma still on my hip.
"How long has Daniel been talking?" I asked quietly.
"Three weeks.
He came to us.
Not the other way around."
"Why now?"
Julian glanced back once toward Marcus.
"Because Marcus tried to cut him out of the Weston property deal.
Apparently Daniel's name was on the original deed.
Marcus had it quietly amended."
I stopped walking.
"He forged Daniel's signature?"
"That's what Daniel is claiming.
He has the original documents."
Emma pressed her cheek against my shoulder.
I smoothed her hair and kept my voice steady.
"Julian.
How bad is it?"
He was quiet for exactly one second too long.
"The flagged financials my team found — they connect to three separate accounts.
Two of them were opened during your marriage.
One of them has your name on it."
The chandeliers above us hadn't moved.
The string quartet was still playing something soft near the bar.
A waiter passed with a tray of champagne flutes catching the light.
"My name," I said.
"Your name.
Which means if the SEC opens a formal inquiry, you could be named in the initial filing before anyone establishes you had no knowledge."
I looked at him.
"Marcus knew that," Julian said.
"I think he structured it that way on purpose."
That was the moment I understood why Marcus had smiled at me the way he did earlier.
Not because he was winning.
Because he believed he had already won — five years ago — and built the proof of it into documents I had never seen.
"Where is Daniel now?" I asked.
"Boston.
He's agreed to a formal meeting Monday.
Same meeting I mentioned to Marcus."
"You told Marcus about Monday."
"I told Marcus there were flagged financials." Julian's expression was careful.
"I didn't tell him Daniel would be in the room."
Emma lifted her head.
"Daddy, I'm hungry."
Julian kissed her forehead.
"Then let's get you some cake."
He took her from my arms and carried her toward the dessert table, stopping to say something to her that made her laugh — a small, bright sound that cut cleanly through the noise of the room.
I turned back.
Across the reception floor, Marcus was watching me.
Chloe had her hand on his arm again, speaking quickly, but his eyes hadn't moved.
He raised his champagne glass in a small, deliberate gesture.
A toast.
I didn't return it.
I thought about the encrypted drive sitting in the fireproof safe in our home office.
The one I had copied the night I found Chloe in my kitchen, before Marcus knew I had seen anything at all.
I had never opened it after the divorce.
I had simply kept it.
I pulled out my phone and sent one message to my assistant.
*Monday morning.
Pull the Mercer files.
All of them.*
Then I put my phone away and went to find my daughter.
But as I crossed the floor, my cousin Sarah appeared at my elbow, slightly breathless.
"Evelyn." She lowered her voice.
"I need to tell you something.
May you like
About tonight.
About why Marcus was invited."
