Chapter 4 - The Paper Trail of Greed
The silence that fell over Jessica’s porch was absolute.
Patrick’s jaw dropped open. He took a slow step backward on the gravel, his hands trembling as he looked at his wife.
"Liens...?" Brenda stammered, her regal, arrogant posture collapsing instantly. "Patrick... what is she talking about?"
"Your husband didn't gift us four hundred and fifty thousand dollars to help us buy a home, Brenda," I explained, looking straight into her pale eyes.
"He wrote that check from his failing logistics company to fake liquidity on his end, expecting that once the money sat in a joint account with my name on it, my father’s two hundred thousand dollars would automatically cover his company's overdraft fees."
"You didn't marry me because you loved me, Brandon," I added, looking at my husband. "You married me because your family needed my father's money to save you from personal bankruptcy."
Brandon stared at me, his mouth opening and closing, completely stripped of his loud, aggressive bravado.
"Melanie... please," Brandon stammered, his tone shifting into a pathetic, desperate whine as he leaned against the iron screen. "We’re married! We’re a team! We can work through this! Just transfer fifty thousand dollars so we can cover the immediate payroll for my dad’s firm!"
"A team?" I repeated softly. "Twelve hours ago, you threw a greasy dishcloth in my face and told me I was your family’s maid."
"You told me I had to earn permission to eat in your house."
"Melanie, I was just stressed!" Brandon pleaded, tears welling in his eyes. "I didn't mean it! It was a bad joke!"
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"It wasn't a joke, Brandon," I replied, my voice cold as ice. "It was the truth. You showed me exactly who you were on day one."
"And I believed you."
