For the first time since arriving, his confidence had disappeared completely.
“Both of you need to calm down.”
Vanessa’s expression hardened.
“Do not tell me to calm down.”
“I’m trying to handle this.”
“You’re trying to handle us.”
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
Then he said something astonishing.
“This is why I wanted the house settled first.”
I stared at him.
“What does Sabrina have to do with my house?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why does the house matter?”
“It’s marital property.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“We lived here together for eleven years.”
“And that does not override the trust.”
He stared at the blue folder.
Something about his expression bothered me.
It wasn’t disappointment.
It was fear.
Daniel hadn’t come merely hoping to take half the house.
He had needed something from it.
Badly.
I handed Lily back into the stroller once she settled.
Then I folded my arms.
“How much money do you owe?”
Daniel’s gaze jumped toward mine.
Vanessa stared at him.
“What?”
“I didn’t say I owe anything.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I’m financially stable.”
“Then why did you arrive after four months away demanding that I transfer property to you?”
His lips tightened.
“It’s about fairness.”
“Try again.”
Vanessa suddenly looked thoughtful.
“Daniel.”
He ignored her.
She stepped closer.
“Daniel, what happened to the apartment in Miami?”
He closed his eyes briefly.
“What apartment?” I asked.
Vanessa answered without looking away from him.
“He told me he bought an apartment.”
“With what money?”
“He said he sold an investment property.”
I almost admired the scale of it.
“What investment property?”
Vanessa finally looked at me.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
Daniel interrupted.
“Enough.”
Neither of us stopped.
Vanessa continued.
“He said he owned three rental properties.”
I nodded slowly.
“Daniel owns exactly zero rental properties.”
Her face turned white.
“He showed me documents.”
“I’m sure he did.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“This conversation is over.”
“No,” Vanessa said. “It’s just becoming useful.”
Then another voice came from outside.
“Daniel Carter?”
We all turned.
A man in a dark suit stood at the open front gate.
A woman carrying a tablet waited behind him.
Daniel’s entire posture changed.
He whispered something under his breath.
The man approached the porch.
“Daniel Carter?”
Daniel glanced at me.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
The man stopped at the doorway and held out an envelope.
“Mr. Carter, you’ve been served.”
Daniel didn’t take it.
The man placed it on the entry table.
Daniel stared at the envelope.
Vanessa whispered, “Served for what?”
The man had already turned away.
Daniel grabbed the envelope and tore it open.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Then the second.
