Chapter 4

Mike said, "Chelsey, your family's got some serious pull. Even if you two are divorced, you've got years of history together. Adam could use your backing now. Any chance you could help him out?"

I put my latte down and looked up at him.

He continued, "The Virtue Foundation's approval has been stuck for almost a month. That grant is Adam's big deal this year. Without it, the lab expansion's dead in the water.

"Now that he's an academician, he needs the cash more than ever. You wouldn't really leave him stranded right when he needs it most, would you?"

I said, "Mike, I don't have any pull with the Virtue Foundation's approval process. You're asking the wrong person."

He gave me a look, something I couldn't quite read, paused for a moment, then said, "Alright, I just wanted to check."

Before he left, he paid for the coffee, like it was just routine.

I stayed seated for a while, watching the street outside the window, recalling how Adam quickly drafted the divorce agreement and called a lawyer to handle the paperwork. The whole process took no more than two days, swift and efficient.

He thought he'd wrapped everything up, nice and clean.

He thought that by sending away an inconvenient full-time housewife, he would be unburdened, free to advance his career without worries, enjoy emotional freedom, and have everything fall into place.

Over ten years, Adam'd gotten really good at putting a price on everyone who ever helped him. Once he decided the score was even, he'd turn the page without a second thought.

What he gave me was the Emerald Residence apartment, a fifty-fifty split of the savings, and that line about keeping in touch with my family.

Adam figured that was fair.

*****

Five days after Tahlia came by, I ran into Liliana Finch, my old neighbor from Emerald Residence, at the old market.

Liliana lit up the moment she saw me and grabbed my hand right away. "Chelsey, where did you move to? I've been looking all over for you! Adam said you went back to your family."

I told her I'd moved across the river, to the north bank.

She patted my hand and let out a sigh. "I heard about everything. Now that Adam's all successful, you never know with people. Don't let it get to you, okay?"

Just then, a woman buying shrimp turned around, her voice loud enough for everyone nearby. "Is that the guy who became an academician? I saw him on the news. He's the youngest ever, huh? That's something."

Liliana nodded. "That's him. He lives in our building."

The woman tossed her shrimp into a bag, gave me another look, and said, "Oh, so you're his ex-wife?"

She sounded like she was sizing up some day-old veggies on clearance.

I picked out some green beans, paid, and left.

Rachel called me that afternoon, and when I told her about what happened at the market, she absolutely blew up.

She ranted for a good five minutes, tearing into Adam from the day he was born all the way to his big academic moment. She didn't spare Mabel or Liliana either.

After she finished venting, I said, "Rachel, can you help me find out who set up the seating chart for the celebration dinner, and who's at the main table?"

She paused for a second and asked, "Why do you want to know that?"

"Just curious."

She paused for a moment and said, "I'll look into it, but Chelsey, be real with me. What's your family's deal?"

"We do import and export."

"Chelsey."

"We're doing alright."

Rachel let out a sigh on the other end, like she'd resigned herself to not getting any more answers from me.

Rachel got back to me with the details. There were seven seats at the main table.

One for the director of the Medical Research Institute, Kane Byrne, a few directors from the university research base, two officials from the state health commission, and Adam's mentor, Reece Hall.

Plus, there was a spot for a representative from the Virtue Foundation.

That was because the Virtue Foundation was the biggest external sponsor for this year's grand prize-winning research project.

The sponsorship amount was eight million dollars.

I heard Rachel finish speaking on the phone, then raised my hand to slightly open the curtain of Sunny Bay Apartment. I watched the surface of Serene River shining calmly in the afternoon sunlight.

I said, "Can you help me confirm who's actually showing up at the main table for the Virtue Foundation?"

Rachel said she'd ask around.

Five minutes later, she called back and told me it was the executive director of the Virtue Foundation, Stuart Thomson.

"Got it," I said.

Rachel was quiet for a few seconds, then said, "Chelsey, I looked into Stuart. He's the number two at the Virtue Foundation. I can't find out who's number one. Do you know who it is?"

"I honestly don't know."

She was quiet again for a moment, then said, "You're lying."