Chapter 11 - The Knock at the Door
Two detectives stood on my porch.
Michael looked at me as if I had arranged the weather.
“This is insane.”
One detective asked, “Mr. Andrews?”
“Yes.”
“We need to ask you about documents connected to Andrews Design Group and Morrow Holdings.”
His eyes flicked toward me.
I said nothing.
The detectives did not arrest him that day.
They asked questions.
They took copies.
They told him not to destroy records.
When they left, Michael pointed at me.
“You did this.”
“No. You did.”
He laughed bitterly.
“You think Tom is your friend? He humiliated Rachel in front of the whole family.”
“He exposed the truth.”
“He planned it.”
“So did you.”
He stared at me.
“What does that mean?”
“The condo. The savings. The college fund. The loan.”
I stepped closer.
“You planned every part of this except getting caught.”
For once, he had nothing to say.
I told him to leave.
He refused.
So I called the police back.
That changed his mind.
After he left, Rachel remained at the table.
Tom stood by the window.
“Come home,” she whispered.
He shook his head.
“Tom, please.”
“No.”
“It was a mistake.”
“A mistake is forgetting an anniversary.”
She flinched.
“You took money from our house to help buy a place where you could cheat on me.”
“I thought Michael loved me.”
Tom looked at her for a long time.
“That might be the saddest thing you've said all day.”
Rachel began sobbing.
I expected Tom to soften.
He didn't.
He placed his wedding ring on the table.
“I'm filing tomorrow.”
Then he walked out.
Rachel stared at the ring.
My mother moved toward her.
I stopped Mom with one look.
Rachel looked at me.
“You hate me.”
“No.”
That surprised her.
“I don't know you well enough anymore to hate you.”
She started crying harder.
Then her phone buzzed.
She looked at the screen.
Her face went white.
“What?” I asked.
She turned the phone toward me.
May you like
A message from Vanessa.
You both need to stop blaming me. Ask Michael who the condo was REALLY for.
