Chapter 3 - His Mother’s Version
Margaret arrived believing Daniel was traveling for work.
He had called her twice after leaving.
The first time, he said Claire needed space because she had become emotionally unstable.
The second time, he claimed she was preventing him from seeing the children.
Margaret had not questioned him.
Daniel was her only son. He had grown up polished, responsible, and skilled at explaining failures before anyone could assign blame.
Claire had always seemed quieter.
Margaret mistook quietness for agreement.
That afternoon, she came carrying gifts for Emma and Noah and a casserole Claire had not requested.
She expected a tense household.
She did not expect abandonment.
“He told me you asked him to leave,” Margaret said.
Claire set down the laundry basket.
“He told me he was going to the gym.”
Margaret’s eyes moved toward the stack of bills.
“Has he been paying the mortgage?”
“No.”
“The utilities?”
“No.”
“The children’s expenses?”
Claire shook her head.
“He emptied the joint account.”
Margaret gripped the back of a chair.
“How much did he take?”
“More than thirty-two thousand dollars.”
“No.”
Claire looked at her.
“You said that when I told you about Vanessa too.”
Margaret closed her eyes briefly.
Claire handed her a printed bank statement.
Daniel had transferred the money into an account Claire did not recognize. The transaction occurred three hours before he packed his bag.
Margaret studied the date.
Then she noticed another series of withdrawals.
Smaller amounts.
Regular.
Going back almost two years.
“What are these?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
May you like
The payments went to Whitmore Property Holdings.
Margaret’s family trust.
