Chapter 12 - THE DEAL BEHIND THE WEDDING
Three days later, the lender released Linden Street.
Daniel's personal assets and a temporary guarantee from two outside investors replaced Amy's property in the collateral package.
Rachel called at 8:03 in the morning.
"It's done."
Amy sat on the edge of the bed.
"Completely?"
"Completely."
"My building is safe?"
"Yes."
Amy cried immediately.
Relief, not grief.
Margaret came into the room.
"Linden Street is released."
They hugged.
For the first time since the wedding, Amy felt as though her lungs had room again.
The feeling lasted forty minutes.
Then David called.
"We found something else."
Amy closed her eyes.
"Of course you did."
"It's about the wedding."
"What about it?"
"The financing deadline."
Amy waited.
"It wasn't the Monday after your wedding."
She frowned.
"What?"
"The lender had already granted a two-week extension."
Amy stood.
"Daniel said they had three days."
"According to the correspondence, they had seventeen."
Cold moved through her.
"Then why rush my signature?"
"We don't know."
Amy called Daniel immediately.
He answered.
"Is everything okay?"
"Did you know the lender extended the deadline?"
Silence.
Amy's heart sank.
"When did you know?"
"The morning of the rehearsal dinner."
"Why didn't you stop the collateral filing?"
"Dad said the extension wasn't secure."
"Was he lying?"
"I don't know."
"Daniel."
"I don't know."
Amy paced.
"Did the wedding have anything to do with the financing?"
He hesitated.
Everything inside her went still.
"Answer me."
"Dad wanted the documents signed before we were legally married."
Amy stopped.
"Why?"
"Because afterward, the marital property disclosures could complicate things."
Her stomach turned.
"So the wedding date mattered."
"To him."
"And to you?"
Daniel said nothing.
Amy understood.
"You still went through with it."
"Yes."
She closed her eyes.
"Goodbye."
"Amy, please."
She hung up.
Margaret found her standing in the kitchen.
Amy told her everything.
Margaret sat down.
"Charles knew."
"Yes."
"And Daniel."
"Yes."
Amy's anger returned.
Not wild.
Focused.
"Your son keeps telling the truth one layer at a time."
Margaret looked devastated.
"I know."
Amy put on her coat.
"Where are you going?"
"To Linden Street."
The apartment building stood on a tree-lined block north of downtown.
Amy had visited often as a child.
Her father brought her there on Saturday mornings.
He knew the tenants by name.
Even after he became wealthy enough to hire maintenance crews, he still fixed loose hinges himself.
The superintendent recognized Amy.
"Ms. Collins."
"Hi, Luis."
He smiled.
"Haven't seen you in a while."
"I know."
Amy looked up at the building.
"My dad loved this place."
"He did."
Luis studied her.
"Everything okay?"
Amy considered.
"Getting there."
She went through the lobby and climbed to the roof.
Chicago spread around her.
Years earlier, her father had brought her there after college graduation.
"This building isn't just money," he told her.
"It's a door."
At twenty-two, Amy had laughed and asked.
"A door to what?"
Her father answered.
"To saying no when you need to."
Now she understood.
Amy placed one hand over her stomach.
"I finally used it, Dad."
Wind moved around her.
Her phone rang.
Charles.
She almost ignored it.
Then she answered.
"What?"
His voice remained smooth.
"I'd like to speak with you."
"No."
"You are making decisions based on incomplete information."
Amy laughed.
"That sentence must run in the family."
Charles ignored the remark.
"Daniel is destroying his future to satisfy your anger."
"No."
Amy looked across the skyline.
"Daniel is finally accepting his choices."
"You can stop this."
"Why would I?"
"Because the company employs hundreds of people."
"You should have remembered them before falsifying reports."
Silence.
Charles's voice hardened.
"Be very careful what you accuse me of."
"I'm not accusing you."
Amy smiled faintly.
"Your own records are doing that."
Charles went quiet.
He clearly did not know about Elena.
"Your daughter will be a Mercer."
Amy's expression changed.
"My daughter will be herself."
"She deserves the security this family provides."
Amy looked down at the building.
"My father already provided security."
"And you nearly cost him everything."
Charles inhaled sharply.
Amy continued.
"You thought my building made me easy to use."
"You were wrong."
She ended the call.
Amy remained on the roof for a long time.
Then she called David.
"I want to separate my finances from Daniel completely."
"That's sensible."
"And I want the marriage annulment options explained."
David paused.
"You understand annulment may be difficult."
"I know."
"Divorce may be more straightforward."
"Then explain both."
Amy looked across the city.
The wedding had lasted a single evening.
May you like
Its consequences would last far longer.
But the next decisions would belong to her.
