Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO ALMOST MOVED IN
Diane never moved into Natalie’s apartment.
She also did not return to her townhouse immediately.
The foundation repairs had been partially started and then abandoned when Evan stopped paying the contractor.
For six weeks, Diane lived in a furnished hotel suite.
She hated it.
Natalie did not feel sorry for her.
That, too, was allowed.
Still, they remained in contact because the same financial fraud touched both of them.
The private lender froze action against Diane’s townhouse once Rebecca presented evidence of forgery and demanded full document authentication.
A forensic examiner later concluded the signature was digitally reconstructed from an old insurance form.
The metadata led back to Evan’s laptop.
The refinancing application on Natalie’s apartment had been assembled in the same week.
Same computer.
Same PDF software.
Same scanning device.
Evan had built both frauds side by side.
The private lender referred the matter to investigators.
The restaurant investment collapsed into its own civil mess.
Russell Kane denied knowing where Evan got the money.
Trading records confirmed another $68,000 had vanished on high-risk options.
The debt had not been created by family duty.
That had merely been the justification Evan planned to use once caught.
Diane took that hardest.
One afternoon, she asked Natalie to meet at a café.
Natalie nearly refused.
Then went because she still needed Diane’s affidavit on one property issue.
Afterward, Diane remained seated.
“Natalie.”
“Yes?”
“I owe you an apology.”
Natalie almost sighed.
“You owe me several.”
“I know.”
Good start.
Diane folded her hands.
“I treated your apartment like excess because it was yours before Evan. I told myself marriage should merge lives, but what I really meant was your boundaries offended me.”
Natalie said nothing.
Diane continued.
“I also believed my needs should come first because I raised him.”
There it was.
Not softened.
Good.
“I made it easier for him to think women who love him owe him access.”
Natalie looked at her.
That sentence mattered.
Diane’s eyes filled.
“I am sorry.”
Natalie took a breath.
“I believe you mean it.”
Diane waited.
Natalie added:
“That doesn’t mean we become close.”
“I know.”
“And you do not get access to my home because you learned something.”
“I know.”
“And if I ever marry again, you will not be part of that conversation.”
A faint sad smile crossed Diane’s face.
“I suspect I’ve been removed from several guest lists.”
Natalie almost laughed.
Almost.
She gathered her bag.
Before leaving, Diane said one last thing.
“He loved you.”
Natalie stopped.
Then turned.
“I know.”
Diane looked surprised.
Natalie continued:
May you like
“That’s what makes this useful to understand. People can love you and still believe they’re entitled to damage you.”
Then she walked away.
