Chapter 4 - OUR REAL LIFE
The watch was still in Richard’s desk.
Amanda found it after counsel advised documenting, not destroying.
Steel.
Expensive.
Engraved.
FOR OUR REAL LIFE.
Amanda stared at those words.
Then laughed.
Real life.
Which life had paid for it?
She placed it back exactly where she found it.
Then Daniel showed her Brooke’s social-media posts.
Not public enough to reveal the affair directly.
Careful.
A restaurant table.
A man’s hand.
A hotel balcony.
Tyler holding a shopping bag.
Caption:
So grateful for the man who makes sure we never go without.
Amanda’s household card had paid for the bag.
Another post:
Some men build families. Some just make promises.
Photo:
Brooke and Tyler in the Arbor West apartment.
Richard had paid the security deposit.
Amanda’s money funded it.
Then Amanda noticed furniture.
White sofa.
Glass coffee table.
Brass floor lamp.
Same pieces she remembered Richard choosing “for the upstairs office renovation.”
The office renovation never happened.
Brooke’s apartment did.
Then Amanda confronted Richard with the ledger.
He did not deny the charges.
Instead he said:
“I was going to pay it back.”
“With what?”
“My bonus.”
“Your bonus is eighteen thousand dollars.”
He looked away.
“You spent almost eighty.”
Richard said:
“I thought the household account was ours.”
Amanda stared.
“It is for our household.”
He flinched.
Then tried another argument.
“You travel constantly. You barely know what gets spent.”
Amanda laughed.
“So not noticing makes it yours?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“It’s exactly what you mean.”
Then Richard said:
“I was under pressure.”
Amanda stepped closer.
“You rented an apartment for your mistress.”
“She needed somewhere to live.”
“Then you could have used your own checking account.”
Silence.
Richard’s salary went into his own account.
He earned well.
Not enough to support two upscale households comfortably.
So he borrowed comfort from Amanda’s cash flow.
Then Amanda asked:
“What did Brooke think?”
Richard looked at the floor.
“What do you mean?”
“Did she know the money was mine?”
May you like
He did not answer.
There was the next layer.
