Chapter 12 - Chloe Comes Back
Chloe appeared at Rebecca's apartment three days later.
Rebecca nearly closed the door.
Then Chloe said.
“I have something you need to see.”
Rebecca studied her.
Chloe looked different.
No designer dress.
No confident smirk.
Her hair was tied back.
She looked tired.
Rebecca opened the door.
“What?”
Chloe entered cautiously.
“I know you hate me.”
Rebecca closed the door.
“I don't know you well enough to hate you.”
The answer seemed to sting more than anger would have.
Chloe nodded.
“Fair.”
She removed a phone from her purse.
“Daniel gave me this six months ago.”
Rebecca frowned.
“A phone?”
“He told me it was for private conversations.”
Chloe unlocked it.
“There are messages on here.”
Rebecca crossed her arms.
“Between you and Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“I don't need to read your affair.”
“Not those.”
Chloe scrolled.
“These.”
Rebecca took the phone.
The messages were between Daniel and a man named Victor Hale.
They discussed moving money.
Deleting records.
Delaying auditors.
Creating consulting expenses.
Rebecca's stomach tightened.
“How did you get these?”
“Daniel used the phone sometimes.”
Rebecca looked up.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
Chloe looked toward the floor.
“Because he lied to me.”
Rebecca almost laughed.
Chloe quickly added.
“I know how that sounds.”
“Yes.”
“I thought he was leaving you.”
“He was.”
“No.”
Chloe shook her head.
“I mean I thought he had already separated from you emotionally and financially.”
Rebecca's eyes narrowed.
“He told me you lived separate lives.”
“We did not.”
“He said the marriage was over.”
“It wasn't.”
“He said the penthouse was his.”
Rebecca said nothing.
Chloe swallowed.
“And he said Michael hated you.”
That made Rebecca's expression change.
“What?”
“He said Michael planned to work with him after graduation and wanted nothing to do with your family.”
Rebecca stared.
Chloe's voice softened.
“I believed him.”
Rebecca handed the phone back.
“You wanted to believe him.”
Chloe nodded.
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised them both.
Rebecca sat.
“Why were you with him?”
Chloe was silent for several seconds.
“Because he made me feel chosen.”
Rebecca looked at her.
Chloe gave a bitter smile.
“I didn't realize being chosen by Daniel meant someone else was always being discarded.”
Rebecca absorbed that.
Then Chloe placed the phone on the table.
“You can keep it.”
Rebecca stared at the device.
“Do you understand what may be on this?”
“Yes.”
“You could be questioned.”
“I know.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Why risk it?”
Chloe's mouth tightened.
“Because after I left the penthouse, Daniel told me I had ruined his life.”
Rebecca almost smiled.
Chloe continued.
“He blamed me for the affair.”
“He blamed me for the divorce.”
“He blamed his board.”
“He blamed Hawthorne.”
“He blamed Vanessa.”
“He blamed everyone.”
Chloe looked directly at Rebecca.
“And then I realized he had never once blamed himself.”
Rebecca slowly picked up the phone.
For the first time, the two women were not wife and mistress.
May you like
They were witnesses to the same man.
And the phone between them could destroy what remained of Daniel's carefully manufactured life.
