Chapter 15 - Mark Came Back for the Last TimeMark appeared at the front door the next morning.
Daniel watched him through the security camera before opening it.
"Why are you here?"
"I need to talk."
"No."
"Five minutes."
"You've had fifteen years."
Mark looked exhausted.
"I deserve that."
Daniel almost closed the door.
Then Mark held up an envelope.
"This is my resignation from every Bennett engagement."
Daniel stopped.
"Westbridge too?"
"Everything."
Daniel opened the door but did not invite him farther than the foyer.
Laura remained upstairs with Sophie.
Mark handed him the envelope.
Signed waivers.
Resignation.
A statement relinquishing the success fee subject to counsel's review.
Daniel looked at him.
"Your attorney approved this?"
"Not yet."
"Then it's a gesture."
"It's what I can do today."
Daniel put it aside.
"You sent the photographs."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You asked for the truth."
"I didn't know I needed three years of it."
Mark looked down.
"Neither did I."
Daniel laughed softly.
"That's impressive."
"I know."
"Did you kiss my wife three years ago?"
"Yes."
"Did you tell me?"
"No."
"Did you keep coming to my house?"
"Yes."
"Did you hold my daughter and let her call you Uncle Mark?"
Mark closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Do you understand what part hurts most?"
Mark looked at him.
"It's not the sex."
Mark said nothing.
"It's not even Laura."
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"It's every normal day you stood beside me and knew something about my life that I didn't."
Mark's eyes reddened.
"I was a coward."
"Yes."
"I wanted what you had."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"Not the house. Not the company."
Mark looked toward the stairs.
"You had somewhere to belong."
Daniel stared.
"Don't romanticize this."
"I'm not."
"You didn't want my family. You wanted my wife."
"At first, maybe."
"That's enough."
Mark nodded.
Daniel turned toward the envelope.
"Did you plan to take over after Westbridge?"
Mark didn't answer immediately.
"Yes."
Daniel felt surprisingly little shock.
By now truth arrived exhausted.
"Was Calvin in on it?"
"We discussed possibilities."
"Meaning?"
"If the divorce affected you badly, I thought the company would need someone."
"You."
"Yes."
"Did you intend to force me out?"
"No."
"Did you write a management structure with yourself as CEO?"
"Yes."
Daniel almost smiled.
"Listen to yourself."
"I know."
"No, I don't think you do."
Daniel stepped closer.
"You spent years convincing yourself you were helping me while positioning yourself to replace me in my marriage and company."
Mark looked pale.
"That's not how it started."
"Nothing apparently starts the way it ends."
Silence.
Then Mark said, "Laura didn't know."
"I know."
"She found the recording and thought I was using her."
"You were."
"And she was using me."
"Yes."
Mark gave a bitter laugh.
"We deserved each other."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Don't make that romantic either."
Mark nodded.
Fair.
"Why come here?"
"The account."
"Sophie's?"
"Yes."
Mark pulled another document from his jacket.
"I transferred four hundred thousand to Laura. It's traceable."
Daniel took it.
"Why?"
"She said she needed to restore Sophie's money before filing."
"Did she?"
"No."
"So where is your money?"
"In the house."
Daniel frowned.
"Meaning?"
"I have a lien."
Of course.
Even while supposedly building a future with Laura, Mark had protected his contribution.
"You didn't trust her."
"Not completely."
"But you expected me to trust both of you."
Mark looked ashamed.
Daniel studied the document.
This actually helped.
If the property were sold, funds could potentially be unwound and Sophie's account restored under proper legal supervision.
"You'll give this to the attorneys?"
"Everything."
"Good."
Mark glanced upstairs.
"Is Sophie okay?"
Daniel's expression changed.
"You don't get to ask me that."
Mark flinched.
"I care about her."
"Then you should have cared about what you were teaching her."
"I never wanted her involved."
"You let her see you sneaking around my house."
"I know."
Daniel opened the front door wider.
"You're not Uncle Mark anymore."
The sentence hit harder than anything else.
Mark's eyes filled.
Daniel continued.
"If Sophie asks why you're gone, her mother and I will handle it in an age-appropriate way."
"Okay."
"You don't contact her."
Mark nodded.
"Okay."
"You don't come here."
Another nod.
Mark stepped outside.
Then stopped.
"Daniel."
"What?"
"I am sorry."
Daniel looked at the man who had once been his closest friend.
"I believe you."
Mark's face changed with surprise.
Daniel continued.
"But remorse doesn't restore trust."
He closed the door.
Upstairs, something moved.
Laura stood on the landing.
She had heard everything.
"You didn't hit him."
Daniel stared.
"Was that still what you expected?"
"No."
"You sound disappointed."
"I'm not."
Laura descended.
"He gave you the lien?"
"Yes."
Her face tightened.
Daniel understood.
"You didn't know he protected himself."
"No."
Another betrayal between lovers.
Daniel almost felt tired enough to laugh.
Then Laura said something that changed the direction of everything.
"I can put Sophie's money back."
Daniel stared.
"How?"
May you like
Laura swallowed.
"Because the house isn't the only asset I hid from you."
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