Chapter 9
“Do it,” I said.
The communications director blinked.
“Confirm?”
“Confirm public information.”
I closed the folder in front of me.
“Nothing about my divorce.”
“Understood.”
“Nothing about Harrison.”
“Understood.”
“My personal life remains personal.”
She nodded.
“We can release the corporate profile after the market opens tomorrow.”
“Proceed.”
The meeting moved on.
When it finally ended, it was almost midnight.
I walked onto the terrace overlooking the water.
The rain had followed me west, though here it was softer, tapping against the roof and disappearing into the black surface below.
Carter joined me with tea.
“I heard the decision.”
“You hear everything.”
“It’s in my job description.”
He handed me the cup.
I took it.
“Did I hide too much?”
Carter considered the question.
He had never criticized Harrison directly.
That was another reason I trusted him.
“You protected your privacy.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“No.”
He looked toward the water.
I waited.
Finally he said, “I think there were times when you made your life smaller to make your marriage easier.”
The truth landed gently because I already knew it.
“I thought that was compromise.”
“Sometimes it was.”
“And sometimes?”
Carter looked at me.
“Sometimes you were disappearing.”
I lowered my eyes to the tea.
My wedding ring was gone.
A pale indentation remained around my finger.
“Not anymore,” I said.
“No.”
His phone vibrated.
He glanced at it.
“Your former husband attempted to use one of the supplementary cards.”
I looked up.
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“For what?”
“A jewelry store charge.”
Of course.
I almost laughed.
“How much?”
“Forty-eight thousand dollars.”
I stared at him.
“For a ring?”
“Apparently.”
“And it declined?”
“The account was closed this afternoon.”
“Good.”
Carter slipped the phone away.
“Would you like me to contact him regarding the personal cards?”
“No.”
“He was notified when the accounts were terminated.”
“Then he has the information he needs.”
Carter nodded.
I looked back toward the water.
For years, Harrison had carried one of my supplementary cards because it was convenient.
Restaurants.
Travel.
Client entertainment.
Clothes.
He often paid the balance from our joint account, but the account itself belonged to me.
During the divorce, my attorney had told him it would close when the settlement became effective.
The notification was in writing.
His signature was beneath it.
He had simply failed to pay attention.
Again.
My phone lit up on the table.
Unknown number.