Chapter 11 - Monica’s Version
Monica requested to speak with Ryan through attorneys.
Lydia advised against a private meeting.
Ryan insisted.
They met in a controlled conference room at Lydia’s firm.
Two attorneys attended.
Everything was documented.
Monica entered wearing a navy suit.
No red.
No softness.
For several seconds she and Ryan simply looked at each other.
“You look terrible,” she said.
Ryan almost laughed.
“You pushed my daughter into a pool.”
“She wasn't in danger.”
“You don't get to define that.”
“It was three feet from the steps.”
“She is four.”
Monica looked away.
Her attorney placed a hand near her arm.
She continued.
“I lost my temper.”
Ryan stared.
“Why?”
“She screamed at me every day.”
“She wanted a photograph of her mother.”
“You have no idea what it is like living with a ghost in every room.”
There it was.
Claire.
Monica’s real rival.
Ryan leaned forward.
“Then why marry a widower?”
Monica's jaw tightened.
“You want the ugly truth?”
“Yes.”
“At first? Because Daniel said you were vulnerable.”
Her attorney whispered, “Monica.”
She ignored him.
Ryan felt strangely calm.
“What did Daniel want?”
“The records Claire kept.”
“Why?”
“Because she was going to destroy him.”
“He was stealing.”
“He was moving money.”
“That is stealing.”
“Daniel thought he could repay it.”
Ryan laughed bitterly.
Monica continued.
“He used project accounts to cover bad investments. Then he needed vendors to hide gaps.”
“And you helped.”
“I connected companies.”
“Your companies.”
“Some.”
“How much did you take?”
Her attorney interrupted.
“My client is not answering financial questions.”
Monica leaned back.
Ryan watched her.
“When did you decide to marry me?”
She smiled sadly.
“You asked me.”
“Don't do that.”
“What?”
“Turn technical truth into innocence.”
The smile vanished.
Monica looked at the table.
“I was supposed to become someone you trusted.”
“You succeeded.”
“I know.”
“Did you ever love me?”
Silence.
Ryan waited.
Finally:
“Yes.”
He hated that answer more than no.
“How can you say that?”
“Because people can do terrible things and still love someone.”
“That's convenient.”
“It’s true.”
Ryan looked at her.
“Did you love Grace?”
Monica’s face changed.
“No.”
The room went silent.
Her lawyer closed his eyes.
Ryan felt the answer like a physical blow.
Monica continued anyway.
“I tried.”
“No, you didn't.”
“I did. In the beginning.”
“You told her talking about her mother hurt me.”
“Because it did.”
“She was protecting me from grief at four years old.”
“She needed boundaries.”
“She needed a parent.”
Monica’s voice rose.
“And every time I tried to be one, she told me I wasn't Claire!”
“She was three!”
Monica stopped.
Ryan saw it.
The irrationality.
The jealousy.
She had wanted a child to validate her place in the house.
Grace had refused simply by remembering her mother.
Ryan lowered his voice.
“Why the trip?”
Monica looked toward her attorney.
He shook his head.
Ryan persisted.
“Why were you taking Grace without me?”
No answer.
“Why did you have forged travel consent?”
Monica’s fingers tightened.
“Why were the Whitmore certificates missing?”
Still nothing.
Ryan leaned forward.
“Where are they?”
Monica looked at him.
For the first time, fear appeared.
Not fear of prison.
Fear of Daniel.
“You think he's your friend,” she whispered.
“I don't.”
“You still don't understand him.”
“Then help me.”
Her attorney said sharply, “We are done.”
Monica stood.
Ryan remained seated.
As she reached the door, he said, “Claire knew your name before I met you.”
Monica stopped.
Her back faced him.
“Marissa Pierce.”
She slowly turned.
Ryan saw shock.
Real shock.
“You opened the box.”
Ryan did not answer.
Monica stared at him.
Then she said something unexpected.
“If Claire saved everything, Daniel will come for it.”
“My security is better now.”
“I'm not talking about your house.”
Ryan frowned.
Monica looked at Lydia.
“Where is Claire’s original notebook?”
Lydia’s expression hardened.
“Secure.”
Monica shook her head.
“You think this started with Carrington.”
“What does that mean?” Ryan asked.
But Monica’s lawyer pulled open the door.
She left.
That afternoon, Lydia returned to Commonwealth Bank to verify the safe-deposit records.
The original notebook was no longer there because Ryan had removed it.
The box itself was secure.
But bank staff discovered an attempted access request submitted the previous evening.
The request used Lydia’s forged signature.
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And surveillance footage showed the person who presented it.
Daniel Vale.
