Chapter 4
Monica showed up that afternoon.
I spread out everything in front of her: the three DNA reports, screenshots from David's phone, the purchase records, and the family group chat logs.
She looked over each item one by one.
When she finished, she took off her glasses. "Emily."
"Yeah," I replied.
"You've got enough for both criminal and civil cases.
"If he put abortion drugs in your food and made you miscarry, that's intentional harm. If it's serious, he could get three years or more in prison.
"On the civil side, you can demand divorce compensation, claim back the money you spent raising kids that aren't yours, and recover any assets he moved."
I nodded. "I know."
"So, what do you want to do now?"
I looked at her. "First, I want to track down where all the money went."
"And then?"
"Then, I'll get every last dollar back."
Monica glanced at me. "You're a lot calmer than I thought you'd be."
"I'm not calm," I said. "I'm enduring. I'll keep enduring until the day I settle the score."
For the next week, I kept up the routine; going to work, cooking, dropping the kids off at school, like nothing was wrong.
David didn't notice a thing.
He even complimented me. "You look great lately. Feeling better?"
I smiled. "Yeah, I'm doing fine."
Feeling better?
Wait and see how "good" I'll feel when I finally settle the score.
Monica started handling things for me right away.
First, she accessed all the transaction records from every bank account under David's name.
She had the legal means to do it.
She had a lawyer's subpoena.
Second, she searched the property records for anything registered under David, Jessica, my husband's father Richard, and my husband's mother Linda's names in the city.
Third, she hired a private investigator to run a background check on Jessica's current residence.
Three days later, the results started coming in.
The first was bank statement. Over the past nine years, David quietly moved a total of 1.3 million dollars out of our joint account and his own accounts.
Here's how it breaks down. [To Jessica: 640,000 dollars.
[To Richard: 400,000 dollars.
[To Linda: 250,000 dollars.]
All that money included my money.
My salary.
My year-end bonuses.
The payout from my apartment being demolished.
The insurance money my dad left me when he died.
Property records.
Jessica had an apartment in her name.
Two bedrooms, one living room. Nothing fancy.
Bought five years ago.
Paid in full, no mortgage.
300,000 dollars.
Richard had an apartment in his name.
Three bedrooms, two living rooms. Bigger, of course.
Bought three years ago.
Paid in full, no mortgage.
500,000 dollars.
The down payments for both places came straight from our joint account.
The PI's report said Jessica was living alone in that two-bedroom apartment.
No one else was there.
But every Wednesday and Friday afternoon, David's car was spotted at the entrance to her building.
He'd stay for three to four hours each time.
After I finished reviewing everything, I closed the folder.
Shut it tight.
"Monica," I said.
"Yeah?" she answered.
"Can we freeze their assets?"
"Definitely. You've got solid proof he's moving marital property. I can get the court to freeze his accounts and properties before the lawsuit even starts."
"How soon can you make it happen?"
"Give me three days."
"Good," I paused, thinking for a moment. Then I said, "Don't make a move yet."
"Why?"
"There's still something I need to clear up."
"What is it?"
"I want to know which hospital Jessica gave birth to the three kids in, and what name she used. I want all the prenatal records, delivery records, and discharge papers."
Monica looked at me. "You want to make sure the evidence is airtight."
"Exactly. Not a single loophole,"
I got home.
David was in the living room, helping Sophie with her homework.
She'd gotten a problem wrong, and he was patiently explaining it to her. "Sophie, look, you need to solve what's inside the parentheses first."
I stood in the doorway, watching it all unfold.
It has been eight years.
I've changed endless diapers, pulled all-nighters, called in sick, and passed up promotions; all for these three kids.
I remember when Sophie was three and had pneumonia. I stayed by her side in the hospital for seven days straight.
I remember when Alex was a year and a half and fell out of bed. I carried him in my arms, running to three different hospitals.
I remember when Lily was born and her jaundice wouldn't go away. I got up at four every morning to feed her.
Did Jessica ever do any of this?
She was the one who gave birth.
I was the one who raised them.
She got all of David's love.
I was the one who gave it all.
My aunt May Grant sent me a message: [Emmy, Jessie said you've been feeling down lately. Why don't you come over for dinner this weekend?]
I stared at it.
She was my real aunt.
After my mom died, she promised she'd look after me like a mother.
She sure did.
She "looked after" me by making me her unpaid nanny for eight years.
She "looked after" me by letting her daughter hook up with my husband.
I replied: [Sure. See you this weekend.]
Then I put my phone down.
Monica, my ledger is almost finished.
Once I write the last entry.
It'll be time to settle the score.