Chapter 7 - DANIEL'S PLAN
Daniel finally admitted the outline.
He wanted divorce.
He wanted Madison.
He wanted shared custody.
He feared Rachel would seek primary custody because of the affair.
So he began preparing.
Financial reserve.
Apartment.
Family support from Evelyn.
Records of conflict.
Not necessarily criminal.
Some actions legally questionable.
Some just dishonest.
Then Rachel asked:
“Why secret visits with Evelyn?”
Daniel answered:
“So Emma would be comfortable there.”
There.
Not only grandmother relationship.
Preparation.
Evelyn’s house had been one proposed exchange location.
The stuffed bunny.
The guest room.
The toys.
Daniel was conditioning Emma to another home before Rachel even knew there would be a custody fight.
Evelyn looked sick when she understood the full design.
“You used me.”
Daniel snapped:
“You wanted access.”
She did.
That was why manipulation worked.
Evelyn had wanted something too.
Then Rachel asked the hardest question.
“Were you planning to take Emma from me?”
Daniel said:
“No.”
“Then why did you tell your mother I might take her out of state?”
“Because I was scared you would.”
“Based on?”
Silence.
May you like
Rachel had never threatened relocation.
Daniel had turned fear into fact because it justified preparation.
