Chapter 16 - The Exit Plan.
The spreadsheet looked like a map of Emily's disappearance from her own life.
The first tab projected a September Cedar Ridge closing with a gross premium of nearly $1.8 million.
The second tab divided expected distributions among Michael, Lauren, Northstar Advisory, Pike-related entities, taxes, and debt repayment.
The third tab was worse.
AFTER CLOSING.
A line labeled Residence Transfer showed Emily's house remaining inside Carter Residential Holdings for six months.
A line labeled E. Carter Settlement showed $250,000.
Another line labeled M. Carter New Residence showed a projected purchase price of $740,000.
Lauren's name appeared beside a relocation allowance.
Emily read the page twice.
"You were planning a life after me."
Michael stood behind Dana's conference table, pale and shaking his head.
"I have never seen that spreadsheet."
Lauren joined the video call and went silent when Dana shared the screen.
Emily watched her sister's face.
"You've seen it."
Lauren looked down.
"Lauren."
"Pike showed me a version."
Michael turned toward the screen.
"When?"
"Three weeks ago."
"You never told me."
Lauren laughed bitterly.
"You were already telling me there was no us."
Emily felt the old wound reopen.
"So there was enough of an 'us' for him to build a relocation budget around you."
"Emily, I didn't make it."
"But you saw it."
"Yes."
"And you said nothing."
Lauren's eyes filled with tears.
"I wanted to believe Michael might leave you."
The room went completely still.
Michael whispered, "Lauren."
She looked at him through the screen.
"Don't act shocked."
"I told you I wasn't leaving Emily."
"After you kissed me."
"And I told you that was a mistake."
Lauren's voice broke.
"You also told me you didn't know if you loved her anymore."
Emily closed her laptop for a moment.
She had heard enough about feelings.
The numbers mattered now.
"Who created the file?"
Dana reopened it and checked the document properties.
Author: M. Kent.
Marissa Kent.
Michael leaned over the table.
"See?"
Emily looked at him coldly.
"That proves she created the file."
"It doesn't prove you rejected it."
Dana's team searched the email archive for the filename.
They found it attached to a message from Marissa to Pike, Michael, and Lauren.
The subject line was Scenario B.
Michael had replied six minutes later.
Remove personal assumptions about my marriage.
Marissa answered: Pike requested a full downside/exit model.
Michael replied: My marriage is not part of the transaction.
Emily stared at the words.
It was not redemption.
It was not even loyalty.
But it was proof that Michael had pushed back against the explicit plan to remove her.
Then Lauren's reply appeared beneath his.
Leave it for now.
Emily looked at her sister on the screen.
Lauren covered her mouth.
"I was angry."
"You were hoping."
Lauren nodded through tears.
Emily felt something final settle inside her.
Whatever happened with Pike, whatever Michael had or had not intended, her relationship with Lauren could not be restored by apologies spoken under pressure.
Dana continued searching.
A later message from Pike made the purpose of the spreadsheet clearer.
If domestic situation deteriorates after closing, this structure keeps the asset pool controlled.
Michael had not replied.
Lauren had replied with a thumbs-up emoji.
Emily almost laughed at the smallness of the symbol beside the enormity of the betrayal.
"A thumbs-up."
Lauren shook her head.
"I wasn't thinking."
"That's what everybody says after they get caught thinking only about themselves."
The video call ended soon after.
Lauren had nothing else useful to say.
Michael remained.
"I need you to know I wasn't planning to leave you for her."
Emily looked at him.
"You were planning to use my property without me."
"Yes."
"You kissed her."
"Yes."
"You hid money."
"Yes."
"You lied for months."
"Yes."
"Then stop asking me to measure which betrayal was supposed to hurt least."
Michael lowered his head.
Dana's phone rang.
She answered, listened for a moment, then looked at Emily.
"It's the anonymous sender."
Emily straightened.
"What?"
"They contacted the office line and asked for you by name."
Dana put the call on speaker after warning the caller that the conversation would be documented.
A woman's voice answered.
Emily recognized it from a voicemail Rachel had found online.
Marissa Kent.
"Ms. Carter, I sent the photographs."
Emily's entire body tightened.
"You also entered my house."
Marissa was silent.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Darren told me to recover the deed file."
"And why did you warn me about the storage unit?"
Marissa's voice cracked.
"Because I realized he was preparing to blame me for everything."
Dana leaned toward the phone.
"Do you have evidence of that?"
"I have everything."
"Where?"
Marissa took a breath.
"In a place Darren doesn't know exists."
Emily looked at Dana.
Marissa continued.
"But if I give it to you, I need protection from him."
Dana replied calmly.
"We cannot promise you immunity or protection from legal consequences."
"Then I need a lawyer."
"Yes."
A long silence followed.
Then Marissa said one final thing before hanging up.
"Tell Emily not to trust the September buyer."
Emily frowned.
"Why?"
Marissa answered.
May you like
"Because there is no buyer."
THE THURSDAY CALL
