Chapter 6 - WHY MARGOT MOVED IN
Margot told the story without trying to make herself sympathetic.
That helped.
She and Benjamin had reconnected three years earlier.
At first, she believed he and Catherine were separating.
Benjamin said Catherine had become emotionally distant.
That they were essentially business partners sharing a house.
That divorce was delayed because Catherine was possessive about property.
Old script.
New woman.
When Margot became pregnant with the toddler, Benjamin panicked.
He begged her not to contact Catherine.
Said disclosure would ruin a business deal and trigger an expensive divorce.
He paid for an apartment.
Medical bills.
Childcare.
Everything routed indirectly.
Margot knew some money came from Benjamin.
She claimed she did not know it came from Catherine’s separate renovation funds until later.
Catherine believed only part of that.
“Why did you move into my house?”
Margot looked down.
“Benjamin said you had agreed to separate.”
“I hadn’t.”
“He said the divorce papers were being prepared.”
“They weren’t.”
“He said the house was becoming marital property because he had paid for improvements.”
Catherine gave a humorless laugh.
“He signed a prenup.”
“I didn’t know.”
Grace interrupted.
“What changed this week?”
Margot hesitated.
Then said:
“His company is failing.”
There it was.
Benjamin’s consulting business had lost its largest client four months earlier.
Margot’s rent was two months overdue.
Benjamin could no longer maintain two households.
So he created a solution requiring everyone else to accept his reality.
He told Margot Catherine would be away until Monday.
He told her Catherine had finally agreed the children should live at the house temporarily.
He told Catherine nothing.
Once Margot and the children were physically inside, Benjamin believed Catherine would avoid a scene in front of them.
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He had counted on decency as leverage.
Again.
