Chapter 5 - RACHEL MONROE'S VERSION
Rachel hired counsel before anyone subpoenaed her.
Smart.
She contacted Maya through lawyers.
Offered an interview.
Conditions:
no recording without consent,
no direct confrontation with Daniel,
confidential settlement discussion separate from criminal referrals.
Maya agreed only to listen.
Rachel arrived in a gray suit.
No red lace.
Claire hated that she noticed.
Rachel did not apologize first.
Also smart.
She said:
“I did not forge your signature.”
Claire stared.
“You applied it.”
“I used an existing digital authorization.”
“For a transaction it didn’t cover.”
“Yes.”
There.
No wasting time.
Then:
“Daniel told me you had agreed verbally.”
“Did you believe him?”
“At first.”
“And later?”
Rachel looked down.
“No.”
Claire’s jaw tightened.
“Then why continue?”
Because the restructuring deadline mattered.
BHG Properties East was refinancing three major parcels.
If Claire’s inherited interest remained outside the new holding company, lenders would require additional review.
Delay could cost millions.
Rachel told herself Claire would ratify later.
Then Daniel started sleeping with her.
Claire asked:
“Before or after you knew he lied about my consent?”
Rachel answered:
“After.”
Vanessa, when told later, became physically sick.
Rachel had not merely betrayed Claire.
She had betrayed Vanessa too.
Vanessa had brought Rachel into the Bennett orbit.
Recommended her for outside counsel.
Trusted her with family business.
Then Rachel said something Claire did not expect.
“Daniel told me you were leaving him.”
Claire laughed.
“Of course.”
“He said your marriage was over in everything but paperwork.”
“Did that make sleeping with him legal too?”
Rachel flinched.
Good.
Then she admitted the flash drive Claire possessed likely contained deleted drafts from the restructuring data room.
Because Rachel had ordered junior staff to purge “obsolete consent drafts” after closing.
Why?
“To clean the file.”
Again that word.
Clean.
Then Claire asked:
“What else was in those drafts?”
Rachel looked at Maya.
Then back at Claire.
“A valuation memo.”
“What valuation?”
“Your property interest.”
Claire’s pulse changed.
“How much?”
Rachel hesitated.
May you like
“Potentially twelve million.”
Claire went completely still.
