“Gavin attempted to use one of my corporate cards at a jewelry store less than an hour after retaining you.”
I ended the call politely.
Later that afternoon, Martin Greer contacted Rebecca.
His threat to seek emergency relief had disappeared.
In its place was a much more careful request for full financial disclosure.
That evening, Gavin finally came to the penthouse.
He brought his mother with him.
Patricia Everly entered the building as though she had arrived to correct an employee’s mistake. She wore a camel coat, pearl earrings, and the expression of elegant disappointment she had perfected over a lifetime.
Gavin followed her through the front door after the concierge called upstairs.
His suit was wrinkled.
Dark shadows framed his eyes.
The man who usually entered every room as though cameras might be waiting now avoided looking at the building staff.
I allowed them into the living room because Rebecca had arranged for a representative from her firm to remain inside the study with the door open.
Patricia stayed standing.
“This has gone far enough,” she said.
I poured sparkling water into a glass.
“What has?”
“This vindictive financial display.”
Gavin stepped closer to the kitchen island.
“Turn the cards back on.”
“No.”
“You cannot destroy my company because you’re upset about our marriage.”
“Northline has received more than two million dollars from Everly Capital over five years.”
“That was an investment in our future.”
“It was documented as discretionary vendor funding.”
“You knew what the company meant to me.”
“I did.”
“And you cut it off in one afternoon.”
“You ended the marriage in one text.”
Patricia released a sharp breath.
“People make mistakes, Lydia. A marriage should not be reduced to a single emotional moment.”
I looked at Gavin.
“Did you send the message by mistake?”
He remained silent.
“Did you meet Madison by mistake?”
His jaw tightened.
“This is between us.”
“Then why is your mother here?”
Color rose in Patricia’s cheeks.
“I am here because someone has to be reasonable. Gavin built a serious company. Your jealousy does not give you the right to interfere with his livelihood.”
“My company was his livelihood.”
“That is an insulting way to describe a partnership.”
“It is an accurate way to describe the bank records.”
Gavin looked around the living room.
“You think you can keep everything? The apartment, the furniture, the accounts?”
“The furniture will be inventoried. Marital assets will be divided according to the agreement.”
“This penthouse is marital property.”
I opened the slim folder waiting on the console and removed a certified copy of the deed.
I slid it across the marble island.
Gavin read the first page.
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