Chapter 14 - Why Eleanor Wanted Me Gone
Rebecca used a clean laptop.
The first recordings were mundane.
Eleanor complaining about me.
Calling me manipulative.
Insisting I controlled Julian.
Then Martin’s voice:
“What changes if Claire has the baby?”
Eleanor answered:
“Everything.”
“How?”
“If Julian becomes attached to the child, he'll never leave her.”
“And why does that matter?”
Silence.
Then Eleanor:
“Because Claire will eventually find out what Julian signed.”
My husband stared at the screen.
“What did I sign?”
The recording continued.
Eleanor described documents Julian had signed years earlier while joining one of Preston’s investment ventures.
Julian believed they were guarantees for a small business loan.
They weren’t.
His signature had been used as part of a chain of questionable financial agreements.
Eleanor knew.
She had hidden it.
If Julian divorced me before I dug into his finances, she believed she could contain the damage.
My pregnancy changed that.
I had begun consolidating insurance.
Estate planning.
Tax records.
Household finances.
Exactly the kind of review that might uncover the old agreements.
So Eleanor encouraged Julian to separate his income.
To exclude me.
To create conflict.
To convince him I was greedy.
Julian stared at his mother.
“You were trying to destroy my marriage to hide what you did?”
“I was protecting you.”
“STOP SAYING THAT!”
His scream echoed through the penthouse.
Eleanor began sobbing.
I felt no satisfaction.
Only exhaustion.
Then Rebecca opened another audio file.
Different date.
Martin:
“What if Claire discovers everything?”
Eleanor answered quietly:
“Then Julian has to make sure she leaves with nothing.”
Martin laughed.
“And if she refuses?”
A pause.
Then Eleanor said something almost inaudible.
Rebecca increased the volume.
“If the apartment is no longer hers, she won't have a choice.”
That explained the forged deed.
But Martin had another surprise.
The final file wasn’t audio.
It was a photograph.
A corporate document.
Rebecca zoomed in.
Her face changed.
“Claire…”
“What?”
“This isn’t your penthouse company.”
I looked closer.
The document concerned Hudson Meridian Development.
Julian’s employer.
Martin had been using Eleanor’s access to Julian too.
My husband stared.
“What is that?”
Rebecca scrolled.
Transfers.
Internal credentials.
Executive authorizations.
Then she whispered:
“Someone has been moving money through Julian’s corporate login.”
Julian went white.
“I didn't authorize those.”
Martin smiled.
“No.”
May you like
Then he looked toward Eleanor.
“But someone in this room did.”
