Chapter 10 - Sophia Was the Backup VillainSophia called Claire crying Saturday morning.
“He’s threatening me.”
Claire’s chest tightened.
“With what?”
“Not like violence.”
“Then what?”
“He says if I tell anyone about us, he’ll say I stalked him.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Daniel’s contingency.
“What exactly did he say?”
Sophia forwarded messages.
DANIEL: You came to my home repeatedly without Claire’s knowledge.
Sophia:
Because you invited me.
DANIEL: Prove it.
Sophia:
I have your messages.
Then:
DANIEL: Be careful how much you think messages prove.
Claire felt sick.
Daniel was trying to frighten her into silence.
Sophia sent screenshots showing Daniel provided the alarm code.
Dates.
Instructions.
Side door. Claire won’t be back until 8.
Come upstairs.
Don’t park in front.
Enough to destroy the stalker story.
Then Sophia forwarded a draft affidavit Daniel had once shown her “as a joke.”
Statement regarding unauthorized contact from S.B.
Sophia Blake.
It described her as:
a young acquaintance who became emotionally attached despite clear boundaries.
Claire stared.
“When did he make this?”
“Three weeks ago.”
Before the bathroom.
Daniel planned to use Sophia and disown her if needed.
Sophia whispered:
“He never planned to leave with me.”
Claire said nothing.
“I was just proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That you were emotional.”
Claire looked out the window.
“Yes.”
Sophia started crying harder.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire’s answer surprised even herself.
“I believe you.”
Sophia went silent.
Claire continued.
“That does not mean I forgive you.”
“I know.”
“You knew he was married.”
“Yes.”
“You came into my home.”
“Yes.”
“You lay in my bed.”
Sophia whispered:
“Yes.”
“Those were your choices.”
“I know.”
“But Daniel’s choices are his.”
Sophia exhaled shakily.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.”
Claire hung up.
That afternoon, Maya prepared Sophia’s affidavit.
Not emotional.
Factual.
Relationship timeline.
Daniel’s statements about property.
His plan for Thursday.
His invitation into the mansion.
His request that she later witness Claire’s supposed informed consent.
Sophia signed after independent counsel reviewed it.
Claire insisted.
“She gets her own lawyer.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“You’re protecting her.”
“I’m protecting the integrity of the evidence.”
“Sure.”
Claire glared.
Maya smiled.
Then Naomi called.
“We found something in your company server logs.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“Daniel?”
“Yes.”
Daniel had accessed Claire Weston Studio’s confidential valuation folder four months earlier.
Claire froze.
Only three people should have had access.
Claire.
Her CFO.
Outside valuation counsel.
“How?”
“Your credentials from the home laptop.”
Claire remembered.
Daniel sometimes used her home computer.
She had saved passwords.
“What did he open?”
Naomi listed files.
Revenue projections.
Client contracts.
A confidential expression of interest from a national hospitality group considering a minority investment in Claire’s company.
Claire stared.
That potential investment could value the studio at nearly twelve million dollars.
Daniel’s property spreadsheet valued it at $9.6 million.
Close.
“He knew.”
Maya looked at her.
“Knew what?”
“That someone might invest.”
Claire whispered:
“That’s why he wanted company appreciation in the agreement.”
If Claire signed before an investment, Daniel could later argue his contractual share covered the increase in company value created when the deal closed.
He wasn’t simply leaving with part of Claire’s current success.
He was trying to capture future value he knew was coming.
Then Naomi found an email Daniel sent to himself.
Subject:
TIMING
Need agreement signed before liquidity event becomes formal. Otherwise claim weaker.
Claire felt cold.
The affair had seemed like the heart of the betrayal.
It wasn’t.
Timing was.
Daniel had waited until Claire’s company was on the edge of a major valuation increase.
Sophia had arrived during the same window.
And now Claire understood why Thursday had mattered so much.
May you like
Daniel wasn’t only preparing to leave.
He was trying to leave at the most profitable possible moment.
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