Chapter 3: The Wife Before Me
The man in the dark suit closed the hospital-room door.
My mother moved between Gavin and my bed.
“I’m Daniel Price,” the man said.
“Your mother hired me yesterday after the bank called her.”
“The bank?” I looked at Mom.
“Why would they call you?”
“Because Gavin tried to borrow against your father’s company shares,” she said.
“Shares he doesn’t own.”
Gavin gave a short laugh.
“Helen, you have no idea how our finances work.”
Mom opened the envelope and removed a marriage certificate.
“I understand dates,” she said.
“You married Elena Ward seven years ago.”
“That marriage ended.”
“Then show us the divorce order.”
Gavin’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t carry legal records in my pocket.”
Daniel placed a second paper beside the certificate.
“You submitted this dissolution order when you applied for your marriage license with Paige,” he said.
“The court number belongs to an unrelated property dispute.”
I stared at Gavin.
“You forged proof that you were divorced?”
“No.” He pointed at Daniel.
“He’s twisting paperwork he doesn’t understand.”
Daniel did not move.
“I obtained the certified court record this morning.
Elena Ward is still legally married to you.”
Our daughter made a soft sound against my chest.
I pressed my lips to her forehead while Gavin walked toward the envelope.
Mom put her hand over it.
“Don’t touch this.”
“You broke into my private files.”
“The county clerk’s office isn’t your private file,” Daniel said.
Gavin turned to me.
“Paige, your mother wants control of the company.
She has been waiting for a chance to turn you against me.”
“You told me you had another family two hours after I gave birth.”
“I told you the truth.”
“You told me the smallest piece of it.”
His eyes dropped to our daughter.
“If you let them make this ugly, I’ll ask the court to examine whether you’re emotionally fit to care for her.”
Mom stepped closer.
“You will not use that baby to frighten my daughter.”
“I have messages showing Paige was anxious during pregnancy,” Gavin said.
“I have doctors who will confirm it.”
“You attended one appointment,” I whispered.
“And I remember what you said.”
The baby began to fuss.
My hands shook as I adjusted her blanket.
Daniel lifted another document.
“There’s more.
Gavin took out two loans using Paige’s signature.
One is secured against the Minneapolis house.”
“I signed refinancing papers last year,” I said.
“No,” Daniel replied.
“You signed an insurance renewal.
The signature on the loan was copied from it.”
Gavin reached for his phone.
“This conversation is over.”
“No,” I said.
“Look at me.”
He stopped.
“Did you forge my name?”
“You benefited from every dollar.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“You lived in the house.
You wore the jewelry.
You enjoyed the life I built.”
“My father founded that company before you learned its address.”
Gavin leaned toward the bed.
“If I fall, Paige, your family falls with me.
Remember that before you start pretending you’re innocent.”
Mom pressed the call button.
A nurse entered and looked from Gavin to my face.
“Would you like this visitor removed?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said.
Gavin’s smile disappeared.
“You’ll regret humiliating me.”
“No,” I replied.
“I regret trusting you.”
The nurse opened the door, and hospital security waited outside.
Gavin straightened his jacket before walking past them.
At the threshold, he looked back.
“You still don’t know who Elena really is.”
The door closed behind him.
Daniel’s phone rang before anyone could answer.
He checked the screen and put the call on speaker.
A woman’s frightened voice filled the room.
May you like
“My name is Elena Ward.
Gavin just called me—and he said Paige is trying to take my son.”
