Chapter 10 - Sabrina’s MessagesSabrina had made one mistake.
She kept messages.
Lots of them.
When Nolan began cooperating, his attorney provided investigators access to conversations he legally possessed.
Sabrina’s tone changed over time.
At first:
You need structure.
Attend your meeting.
Call me before you use.
Then:
I can get something that will keep you functioning.
Later:
Cash only this time.
And eventually:
Victor needs your answer. If Brooke signs, everyone wins.
Brooke stared at the messages.
Sabrina connected both halves.
Addiction and money.
She had not simply enabled Nolan’s drug use.
She had introduced him to Victor.
According to Nolan, Sabrina met Victor through a previous client.
Victor paid referral fees.
Nolan had been valuable because of Brooke’s collateral.
Investigators handled the drug allegations separately.
Brooke did not need to know every detail.
Her concern was civil recovery and Ethan.
But one message mattered personally.
Nolan:
Brooke is asking questions.
Sabrina:
Tell her relapse is normal and shame makes it worse. She’ll back off.
Brooke stopped reading.
Sabrina had weaponized therapeutic language.
Not to help Nolan recover.
To keep Brooke uncertain.
That enraged her in a new way.
Brooke had spent months wondering whether boundaries were cruel.
Whether checking accounts was controlling.
Whether asking for drug tests was shaming.
Sabrina had exploited exactly those fears.
Brooke requested through counsel that Sabrina have no contact with Ethan.
There was no objection.
Nolan agreed immediately.
The civil case against Victor progressed.
His attorney approached Claire with settlement terms.
Victor would repay $140,000.
No admission.
Brooke refused.
“Too low.”
Claire warned:
“Litigation is expensive.”
“I know.”
“Victor has defenses.”
“I know.”
“The lender still has rights.”
“I know.”
“What do you want?”
Brooke looked at William’s letter.
“The property restored outside the LLC. Full accounting. Enough money to eliminate the debt created by the deal.”
“That may not happen.”
“Then we litigate.”
Claire smiled faintly.
“Your father would recognize you.”
Brooke shook her head.
“I’m trying to recognize myself.”
Meanwhile Nolan’s supervised visits improved.
He stopped bringing gifts.
He stopped saying “when I come home.”
He stopped asking Ethan to reassure him.
Instead he listened.
During one visit Ethan brought the repaired piggy bank.
He and Brooke had glued the pieces together.
Cracks remained visible.
Nolan stared.
“You fixed it.”
Ethan shrugged.
“Mostly.”
“Why didn’t you buy another?”
Ethan looked at the cracks.
“Because this one is mine.”
Nolan’s eyes filled.
“Can I hold it?”
Ethan hesitated.
Then handed it to him.
Nolan held it carefully.
Almost reverently.
“I’m sorry I broke this.”
Ethan said:
“You already said that.”
Nolan nodded.
“Then I won’t keep making you hear it.”
He gave it back.
The visitation supervisor later wrote:
Father demonstrated appropriate acceptance of child’s boundary.
Brooke read the sentence twice.
Tiny progress.
Nothing cinematic.
Nothing that erased the past.
But real.
Then Marcus called.
He had traced another transfer.
Not from Brooke.
From Nolan’s mother.
$150,000.
To Victor.
Brooke stared at the phone.
“Nolan’s mother invested too?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
Before the lake-house scheme.
Before Sabrina.
May you like
Before Nolan’s severe addiction.
Victor Kane had been in Nolan’s life far longer than anyone admitted.
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