Chapter 3 - THE HOUSEHOLD BUDGET NOBODY SHOWED HER
Rachel was Claire’s college friend.
Also an accountant.
Dangerous combination for the Bennett family.
The next morning, Rachel opened Claire’s laptop.
“Show me everything.”
Claire did.
Statements.
Transfers.
Cards.
Bills.
Rachel built a spreadsheet.
Mortgage:
Claire contributed $2,100 monthly.
Utilities:
$620 average.
Groceries:
$900.
Robert truck:
$740.
Linda health premiums:
$690.
Madison phone and devices:
$310.
Household card:
variable, often $1,000 or more.
Rachel stopped.
“Claire.”
“What?”
“You’re funding most of this house.”
“I knew I helped.”
“No.”
Rachel turned the screen.
“You are the household.”
Claire stared.
Then Rachel noticed something worse.
Several payments were not simply voluntary transfers.
They came from a joint household account.
Account owners:
Claire Bennett.
Robert Bennett.
Claire frowned.
“I added Dad years ago so he could pay bills.”
“Who deposits?”
“Me.”
“Who withdraws?”
Rachel scrolled.
Robert.
Cash transfers.
Credit payments.
Unknown merchant payments.
Then one recurring transfer:
BENNETT HOME RESERVE.
$1,250 monthly.
Claire asked:
“What’s that?”
Rachel clicked.
Money moved into a savings account.
Owner:
Robert Bennett.
Not joint.
Claire’s face changed.
Her father had been transferring her money into his private account.
For fourteen months.
Total:
$17,500.
Then another.
MADISON SUPPORT.
$600.
Private account.
Madison.
Claire whispered:
“She had an allowance?”
Rachel did not answer.
She did not need to.
May you like
Claire had spent years being told there was never enough money.
Meanwhile Robert had been redistributing Claire’s income behind her back.
