Chapter 4

Eleanor called to invite me over for tea on Saturday.

"Your father's Golden Anniversary Gala is on the tenth of next month. Chloe, sweetie, help me look over the invitation wording."

"Sure, Eleanor."

"Oh, and I have something for you. We’ll talk when you get here."

On Saturday afternoon, I went to their house. Eleanor took me into her bedroom and pulled a velvet box from the back of her closet.

Inside was a jade bangle. The color was translucent, a deep, rich emerald green.

"My mother passed this down to me. I’ve been waiting three years for the right moment to give it to you."

"Eleanor, this is way too valuable—"

"Keep it." She slid the bangle onto my wrist and patted my hand. "Chloe, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart."

"Go ahead."

"Julian has always been a quiet boy. He keeps everything to himself. But he truly cherishes you, and I see it. Having you as his wife for these past three years has given me complete peace of mind."

Complete peace of mind.

"I trust you both. It's just that Arthur's health is getting worse. He won't say it, but he's desperate for a grandchild. You and Julian—"

"Eleanor, he told me. We’re going to start trying next year."

"Really?" Her face lit up instantly. She squeezed my hands. "That’s wonderful! I can't wait."

I looked down at the jade on my wrist. It was freezing cold.

A family heirloom passed down through three generations was now on my wrist.

She saw me as the only daughter-in-law.

But she had no idea her grandson was already three years old. Living in Maple Heights, drawing pictures, calling another woman "Mommy," and wearing size 10 shoes.

On my way back, Julian texted me saying he had to work late. He told me to eat without him.

When I got home, I put the jade bangle on my vanity.

I picked up our shared iPad to look up a recipe.

The moment the screen lit up, an iMessage notification popped up.

There was no contact name, just a phone number.

It was a photo—

A crayon drawing. Three people holding hands in front of a yellow house. The tallest one had "Daddy" written over his head, the middle one "Mommy," and the smallest one had "Me" scribbled in messy letters.

Below it, a text: *He drew a family portrait at school today, and the teacher praised him. He asked when you're coming home.*

His iPad and iPhone shared the same Apple ID. The digital footprint he kept so clean on his phone was fully preserved in his iMessage history.

I scrolled up.

Two weeks ago.

Hailey: *How much longer do we have to wait?*

Julian: *Soon. My parents' Golden Anniversary is next month. We'll wait until that's over. There are too many relatives watching right now. It's not a good time.*

Hailey: *You always tell me to wait.*

Julian: *This time is different. After the gala, I'll talk to her.*

Her.

The "her" he needed to "talk to" was me, sitting here with his mother's heirloom on my wrist.

I kept scrolling.

Three months ago.

Hailey: *The third installment of his education trust fund is due. Did you transfer it?*

Julian: *Yes, from the joint account. She won't check.*

Our joint account.

The account we opened together, the one we agreed was for our future children.

I put down the iPad and opened my banking app.

The balance showed $163,000.

Last time I checked, it was $410,000.

$247,000 had been transferred out in six separate payments to an educational annuity called "Future Bright."

I couldn't access the beneficiary details, but the policyholder was Julian Vance.

The money we saved for our "future children" had been systematically channeled to fund his existing child's future.

I put the iPad back, wiping away my fingerprints.

The apartment was dead silent, save for the low hum of the refrigerator.

I sat at the table for a long time.

I slid the emerald bangle off my wrist and placed it on the coffee table. Its green hue glowed faintly under the lamp.

Eleanor was a good person. Arthur was a good person.

But the entire Vance family—from his parents to his wife—were just lines in Julian’s ledger. Everyone had been assigned a neat little column, precisely managed.

No errors, no overlaps, no slip-ups.

Three years.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

"Hi, is this the Ritz-Carlton events coordinator?"

"Yes, ma'am. How can I help you today?"

"I’d like to confirm if the projector screens in the grand ballroom support AirPlay or direct laptop connections for the event on the tenth."

"Yes, they do. We have dual LED screens on both sides. You can connect via HDMI or wirelessly."

"Can I come in early to do a quick tech run?"

"Of course. When would you like to come?"

"Monday afternoon."

After hanging up, I opened my laptop and created a new PowerPoint presentation.

I named the file: **Audit Report.**

Julian got home at eleven. By then, I had closed my laptop and was watching TV on the couch.

He kicked off his shoes and leaned over to kiss me.

"Waiting up for me?"

"No, just couldn't sleep."

"How was your talk with my mom about the gala?"

"Everything is set. The tenth, at the Ritz-Carlton."

"What are you wearing?"

"That navy blue dress. The one you said you liked."

He smiled, running a hand through my hair. "You look beautiful in everything."

"Navy blue it is, then."