Chapter 12 - Mark Had His Own Reason to Betray DanielDaniel called Rachel from the guest room.
"How much does Mark make if Westbridge closes?"
Rachel hesitated.
"His success fee?"
"Everything."
"Approximately $1.7 million."
Daniel stared at the ceiling.
"Any additional upside?"
"Potentially."
"From what?"
"Westbridge has discussed retaining him after closing."
Daniel sat up.
"Doing what?"
"Integration consulting."
"Why didn't I know?"
"They approached him directly. He disclosed it in the conflict memo."
Daniel searched his email.
There it was.
Three weeks earlier.
He had skimmed the summary and approved it.
Another consequence of working too fast.
"How much?"
"I don't know."
Daniel thanked her and ended the call.
Then he phoned Mark.
Mark answered immediately.
"What's wrong?"
"How much is Westbridge paying you after closing?"
Silence.
Daniel smiled without humor.
"Interesting day for silence."
"It's a consulting contract."
"How much?"
"Potentially three million over two years."
Daniel's grip tightened.
"So you make nearly five million dollars if my deal closes."
"If the work happens."
"And Laura divorces me right after."
"Those are separate things."
"Are they?"
"Yes."
Daniel stood and began pacing.
"You helped negotiate a transaction that needed me stable until closing."
"Yes."
"You were sleeping with my wife."
"Yes."
"You knew she planned to wait until after closing to leave."
Mark said nothing.
"When did you know?"
"May."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Three months.
"You sat in meetings with me."
"I know."
"You went to dinner with me."
"I know."
"You toasted the deal."
"I know."
"And all the while you knew my wife planned to leave the moment your fee was secure."
"It's not like that."
"Explain how it's different."
"I tried to get her to tell you earlier."
Daniel laughed.
"While still sleeping with her?"
"Yes."
"Very ethical."
"I know how it sounds."
"It sounds exactly like what happened."
Mark's breathing became heavier.
"Daniel, I didn't create the prenup. I didn't tell Laura to wait."
"But waiting benefited you."
"Yes."
Finally.
A clean answer.
Daniel appreciated it more than another excuse.
"Did you ever intentionally delay her telling me?"
Silence.
"Mark."
"Once."
Daniel stopped pacing.
"What did you say?"
"She wanted to tell you in June."
Daniel stared.
"Why didn't she?"
"I asked her not to."
The room became still.
"Why?"
"We were days from signing Westbridge's exclusivity period. I said if you fell apart, the deal could die."
Daniel's voice dropped.
"So you told my wife to keep sleeping beside me until my signature was useful."
"No."
"That's exactly what you just described."
"I told her to wait two weeks."
"And then?"
"Two weeks became another month."
Daniel pressed his palm against his forehead.
He remembered June.
A family barbecue.
Mark had grilled steaks in Daniel's backyard.
Laura had brought him beer.
They had laughed together.
Sophie had sprayed all three adults with a garden hose.
Daniel had looked around that afternoon and felt grateful.
He'd thought his life was full.
His wife and best friend already knew it was temporary.
"Were you together during the barbecue?"
Mark didn't answer.
Daniel's stomach turned.
"Never mind."
"Daniel—"
"Did Laura know about your Westbridge consulting contract?"
"Not the amount."
"So she didn't know you had millions riding on my signature."
"No."
Daniel finally understood why Mark had begun turning against Laura.
Maybe guilt was part of it.
But self-preservation was too.
If Daniel discovered the affair after closing, Mark got paid.
If Laura delayed filing until after the anniversary, her position improved.
They had different reasons to maintain the same lie.
Daniel had been useful to both of them.
"Why are you helping me now?"
Mark exhaled.
"Because everything is already gone."
"Your affair?"
"Yes."
"Our friendship?"
A longer pause.
"Yes."
"Your Westbridge money?"
Mark hesitated.
Daniel almost smiled.
"There it is."
"Daniel, don't kill the deal just to punish me."
"You think that's what I'm going to do?"
"I don't know."
"Neither do I."
"If you walk away, dozens of people get hurt."
Daniel knew.
Employees with mortgages.
Investors.
Partners.
That was why he wouldn't destroy a good transaction simply to hurt Mark.
Mark continued.
"I'll waive the success fee."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"I'll walk away from it."
"Why?"
"Because I don't deserve to make money from this."
Daniel sat down.
It was the first remotely honorable thing Mark had done all day.
It changed nothing.
"Put it in writing."
"I will."
"And withdraw from any Westbridge consulting contract."
Silence.
"Mark?"
"Okay."
Daniel was surprised.
"Why?"
"Because I need to stop pretending I can keep parts of my life after what I did."
Daniel closed his eyes.
He almost remembered his friend.
Then he remembered the wardrobe.
"I don't forgive you."
"I know."
"I may never."
"I know."
Daniel ended the call.
A knock came at the guest-room door.
Laura entered without waiting.
She held a glass of water.
"Can we talk?"
"No."
She set the glass down.
"I know you hate me."
"I don't know what I feel."
She stepped closer.
For the first time all day, her face wasn't defensive.
"I don't want Mark."
Daniel looked at her.
"That isn't comforting."
"I mean it."
"He says you ended things."
"Yes."
"When?"
"Last week."
"Why?"
Laura stared at him.
"Because I realized I'd made the biggest mistake of my life."
Daniel wanted to believe that.
Some small, wounded part of him desperately wanted it.
Then Laura added:
"And because I found out what Mark was really planning to do after Westbridge."
Daniel's attention sharpened.
"What?"
May you like
She looked toward the door.
"Take your company."
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