Three days later, I was signing some papers in a hotel suite with Naomi when Trent called again.
His confidence was gone.
“They froze the accounts,” he said, his voice panicked. “There are people here.”
“Everyone?” I asked calmly.
"My checking account. My business line of credit. Even my joint account. The mortgage hasn't been processed. They say the property is under review!"
Property review.
“How did you explain the house purchase to your lawyer?” I asked.
“Exactly as it is written in the deed.”
“And the deposit?”
“Those were your savings,” he replied.
“That wasn't a saving,” I said softly. “It was my compensation.”
He laughed faintly. “Compensation for what? Consulting?”
“I'm a senior managing partner at a private equity firm,” I said. “Last year, I made $4.2 million.”
Silence swallowed the line.
“It’s not funny.”
“It's not meant to happen.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispered.
“Because I wanted a partner,” I said. “Not someone who would treat me like a resource.”
He became agitated. “We can work this out. I didn’t mean it.”
“You did,” I replied. “And you tried to force me to leave illegally. That’s important.”
“You can't evict me!”
“I won't do it,” I said calmly. “A judge will decide.”
In the background, a firm voice ordered him to take a step back.
“They're stealing my laptop,” he muttered. “They say there are financial discrepancies.”
“Have you ever registered your house in your business’s name?” I asked.
There was hesitation.
Naomi leaned toward the phone. “Mr. Walker, you have been notified. Please comply with the temporary order.”
His voice broke. “Please. Stop it.”
“You can’t call me useless,” I said calmly, “and then panic when you realize I was the one holding it all together.”
"I knew it."
“You didn't ask me.”
After a long pause, he asked in a low voice, “Will the news be made public?”
CONTINUE READING...>>
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