Chapter 9 - Sierra Needed Money by AugustSierra’s training business looked successful.
That was part of her appeal.
She drove a new SUV.
Rented studio space in Manhattan twice a week.
Worked with wealthy clients in Westchester.
Her social media showed vacations, upscale restaurants, wellness retreats.
Pierce had personally introduced her to three executives who became clients.
Morgan had never questioned whether Sierra was financially secure.
Now the $186,400 loan told another story.
“What business loan?” Pierce asked.
Morgan stared at the email.
“I don’t know.”
“You never discussed finances?”
“Not much.”
“You were signing an apartment lease together.”
“I thought she was doing well.”
Pierce almost responded sarcastically.
He stopped.
Morgan had enough to process.
She opened Sierra’s old messages.
Search:
August.
Dozens appeared.
Can’t wait until August.
We’ll finally stop hiding in August.
August has to be the line.
You need to make the decision before August.
Morgan’s face grew pale.
“I thought she wanted certainty.”
“Maybe she did.”
Pierce looked at the loan notice.
“Maybe she needed something else too.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I don’t know.”
“That she was using me?”
“I said I don’t know.”
Morgan stared at him suspiciously.
“You hate her.”
“Yes.”
The direct answer surprised her.
Pierce continued.
“I hate what she did to me. That does not mean every bad possibility is automatically true.”
Morgan sat.
“What was the loan for?”
They eventually found the answer through Sierra herself.
She came to the house at four-thirty.
Morgan had asked Pierce to be there.
He almost refused.
Then agreed because the conversation involved marital money and plans affecting Ava.
Sierra entered slowly.
She looked tired.
No athletic confidence.
No trainer smile.
Morgan stood across from her.
“What happens August first?”
Sierra’s face changed.
“Talia contacted you again.”
“Answer me.”
Sierra looked at Pierce.
Then Morgan.
“My studio expansion failed.”
“What expansion?”
“The location in SoHo.”
Morgan frowned.
“You told me that project was delayed.”
“It died.”
“When?”
“Last year.”
“And the loan?”
Sierra sat.
“I personally guaranteed it.”
“How much?”
“You saw the notice.”
“Were you losing your condo?”
“Possibly.”
Morgan looked sick.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was embarrassed.”
Morgan laughed bitterly.
“Embarrassed?”
Sierra flinched.
“I thought I could fix it.”
“How?”
“More clients.”
Pierce folded his arms.
“Some of whom I gave you.”
Sierra looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Did you become involved with Morgan because of money?”
“No.”
Pierce studied her.
“Did money influence how hard you pushed her to move?”
Sierra said nothing.
Morgan whispered, “Sierra.”
“No.”
“Look at me.”
Sierra did.
Morgan’s eyes filled.
“Were you counting on me paying half the apartment?”
“Yes.”
Morgan recoiled.
Sierra immediately continued.
“But that doesn’t mean I didn’t love you.”
“What else were you counting on?”
“Nothing.”
Pierce recognized the answer.
Too fast.
Morgan did too.
“What else?”
Sierra started crying.
“I thought after divorce you would have access to your share of everything.”
The room went silent.
Morgan stared.
“My share?”
“You and Pierce own this house.”
Pierce’s expression hardened.
Sierra continued.
“You have retirement accounts. Savings.”
Morgan stood.
“You were thinking about my divorce settlement?”
“I was thinking about our future.”
“No.”
Morgan shook her head.
“You were doing math.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Did you ask me what this house was worth?”
Sierra looked away.
Morgan remembered.
A conversation in January.
Sierra had casually asked whether Morgan and Pierce bought before prices rose.
Another about Pierce’s company stock.
Another about the lake property inherited from Pierce’s father.
At the time, it felt like intimacy.
Planning.
Now it felt different.
Morgan whispered:
“You knew more about our assets than Pierce knew about us.”
Sierra began crying harder.
“I loved you.”
“Did you?”
“Yes!”
“Then why Talia?”
“I made a mistake.”
“Three times?”
Sierra’s face collapsed.
Morgan looked at Pierce.
For a moment, husband and wife shared the same exhausted recognition.
Everybody’s first number was always too small.
“How many times?” Morgan asked.
Sierra shook her head.
“Four.”
Morgan laughed.
Sierra closed her eyes.
“Five.”
Morgan sat.
Pierce looked away.
He should not be witnessing this.
But then Sierra said:
“Talia wasn’t the reason I pushed August.”
Morgan looked at her.
“What was?”
“The loan.”
“So Pierce was right.”
“Partly.”
Morgan’s face hardened.
“Meaning?”
Sierra inhaled.
“I thought if we lived together, I could sell my condo.”
“That pays the loan.”
“Yes.”
“And where would you live?”
“With you.”
“In the apartment I was paying half for.”
“We would both pay.”
“With what money?”
Sierra said nothing.
Morgan’s eyes filled.
“With what money?”
“My business would recover.”
Morgan laughed bitterly.
“You didn’t know that.”
“No.”
“So you were building your rescue plan around my divorce.”
“I was building a life with you.”
“You can say both.”
Sierra stopped.
Morgan’s voice became quiet.
“That’s what Pierce told me.”
Pierce looked at her.
Morgan continued.
“Something can be real and still be wrong.”
Sierra stared.
Then her shoulders dropped.
“Yes.”
The admission hurt Morgan more than another denial.
Sierra loved her.
And used her.
Both could be true.
Pierce understood that too well.
Sierra looked at him.
“For what it’s worth, I never wanted Ava taken from you.”
Pierce’s expression hardened.
“You participated in conversations about using my work schedule.”
“I told Morgan it was ugly.”
“You also took my daughter on a secret weekend with my wife.”
Sierra lowered her eyes.
“I know.”
“You let a five-year-old think hiding you from her father was normal.”
“I know.”
“You don’t know what that did yet.”
Sierra began crying.
Pierce stepped back.
He had nothing else to say.
Then Sierra looked at Morgan.
“There’s something else.”
Morgan almost laughed.
“Of course.”
Sierra swallowed.
“I didn’t take the cabin photo.”
“We know Talia did.”
“No.”
Pierce frowned.
“Talia said she did.”
“She’s lying.”
Morgan stared.
“Then who?”
Sierra’s voice became quiet.
“My brother.”
Pierce felt tension return.
“Why was your brother watching you?”
May you like
Sierra looked terrified.
“Because the business debt isn’t actually owed to a bank.”
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