Chapter 5 - WADE'S WARNING
Wade was Northline’s finance director and one of the four buyout managers.
He was not Claire’s friend.
He barely knew her.
But he remembered the meeting.
Daniel complained that moving an eight-month-pregnant wife was impossible.
Wade said:
“Then delay your participation.”
Daniel refused.
If he withdrew, the others would need new equity.
The deal could collapse.
Then Daniel said:
“What if the pregnancy isn’t an issue by closing?”
Wade stared at him.
“I thought he meant after delivery.”
Later he realized Daniel meant something else.
How?
A week later Daniel asked whether a medical procedure affecting the relocation timeline would change lender assumptions.
Wade said:
“I told him I didn’t want to know what he meant.”
Claire felt sick.
Wade looked ashamed.
“I should have reported it.”
“To whom?”
“I don’t know. HR? The other partners? Someone.”
Why didn’t he?
Because Daniel’s home life seemed private.
Because Wade thought ugly speech was not the same as action.
Because the deal was weeks from closing.
Because everyone had money at stake.
That last reason mattered.
Then Wade disclosed another fact.
Daniel’s $620,000 contribution was not enough.
The final equity need increased.
His revised share:
$710,000.
He was short nearly $100,000 even if Claire agreed to sell the house.
So he had another plan.
A retention payout.
Northline offered Daniel a $145,000 transaction bonus if he stayed through the divisional sale and signed a noncompete.
That money would arrive only after closing.
Bridge lender agreed to count it conditionally.
But there was one personal problem.
The noncompete required relocation within sixty days.
Claire’s due date fell inside that window.
Then Wade said:
“He started saying the baby was costing him the deal.”
Not them.
Him.
Then Michael asked:
“Did Daniel ever say he wanted to hurt Claire?”
Wade shook his head.
“No.”
That mattered.
The financial obsession escalated into abuse at home, but the partners had not planned it.
Then Wade gave Grace a forwarded email.
Daniel to a private clinic inquiry address:
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Claire stopped reading.
