Chapter 6 - The Unraveling
Over the next three weeks, Daniel Bennett’s world collapsed with terrifying speed.
When a man builds a house out of lies, he relies on the assumption that no one will inspect the foundation. But Sarah Jenkins and Mark’s team of forensic accountants didn't just inspect the foundation—they demolished it with sledgehammers.
Because of the asset freeze, Daniel couldn't use company funds to pay his personal legal expenses. Worse still, the news of the assault and the impending lawsuit leaked to the local business community. Major investors in Bennett Properties, horrified by the optics of a CEO whose mistress physically attacked his pregnant wife in front of his child, began pulling their funding one by one.
Vanessa Clark was immediately terminated by the board of directors in an effort to save face, but the damage was done. Stripped of her corporate access, her reputation ruined in the industry, and facing a civil lawsuit from Rachel, Vanessa turned on Daniel with ferocious speed.
She hired her own lawyer and offered to testify against Daniel in the divorce proceedings, revealing every secret account, every off-book cash transaction, and every lie he had used to hide money from Rachel, in exchange for being dropped from Rachel’s civil suit.
Rachel watched all of this unfold from the comfort of her home. With Daniel legally barred from the property, she turned the master bedroom into a cozy nursery for the baby. Lily was doing remarkably well, surrounded by her mother’s strength and the firm support of her uncle Mark.
One afternoon, Sarah Jenkins visited the house with a thick binder of financial documents.
"Daniel’s lawyers are begging for a settlement," Sarah declared, sitting at the kitchen table. "He knows if this goes to a full trial, he could face criminal charges for corporate fraud regarding the secondary LLC."
"What are they offering?" Rachel asked, pouring two glasses of lemonade.
"Everything," Sarah said simply. "He’s agreeing to give you the house outright with no mortgage encumbrance. He’s offering 70% of the liquid assets from the sale of Bennett Properties, full legal custody of Lily and the baby, and substantial child support."
Rachel looked out at the backyard. The oak tree she and Daniel had planted seven years ago was blooming with fresh spring leaves.
"What happens to his company?" Rachel asked.
"Without the investors and with his reputation shot, Bennett Properties is going into liquidation," Sarah explained. "He’ll be left with enough to start over somewhere else, but he’s finished in this city. He made his bed, Rachel."
Rachel placed a hand over her round, heavy belly. "I don't want his vengeance, Sarah. I just want my children to be safe, and I want us to have enough to never have to depend on him again."
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"With this settlement," Sarah assured her, "you will never have to work another day in your life unless you want to. You and your children are secured forever."
"Then accept the settlement," Rachel said. "Let him go."
