Chapter 13 - One Last Lie
Eric grabbed his phone.
“I told him to withdraw it.”
“Apparently he didn’t.”
Rachel arrived within thirty minutes.
She read the document twice.
Then looked at Eric.
“When did you instruct your attorney to stop?”
“Saturday.”
“Email?”
“Phone.”
“Anything written?”
“No.”
Rachel sighed.
“Call him.”
Eric put the phone on speaker.
The attorney answered.
“Eric.”
“Why is the property petition still active?”
Pause.
“We were waiting for final instructions.”
“I gave final instructions.”
“You said you wanted to pause.”
“No. I said withdraw it.”
Another pause.
“Your mother subsequently contacted our office.”
Rachel’s head lifted.
“My mother?”
“She said you wished to continue protecting your marital interest.”
Eric’s face darkened.
“She is not your client.”
“No, but—”
“Withdraw it.”
“Eric, once you—”
“Withdraw it now.”
He disconnected.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Eric whispered, “She called my lawyer.”
Rachel looked at him.
“That attorney should never have relied on her instructions.”
Eric paced across the room.
“I gave her his number because she wanted updates.”
I stared.
“Of course you did.”
He stopped.
“I know.”
No argument.
No excuse.
Just shame.
His phone rang.
Diane.
He stared at the screen.
Then answered.
“Why did you call my lawyer?”
Her voice was loud enough that we all heard.
“Because you’re emotional.”
Eric closed his eyes.
“You told him to continue against my instructions?”
“I’m protecting you.”
“No. You’re controlling me.”
Silence.
Then Diane laughed.
“That woman has poisoned you.”
Eric looked at me.
Something settled behind his eyes.
“No, Mom.”
His voice was surprisingly calm.
“She showed me what I was becoming.”
“Eric—”
“You moved into her house.”
“For Madison!”
“You insulted her.”
“She was disrespectful!”
“You took over her kitchen, her rooms, her time.”
“Because you said she barely worked!”
The room froze.
Eric stopped breathing.
I stared at him.
Diane continued.
“You told me her job wasn’t serious. You told me you handled the real finances. You told me—”
“Stop.”
Eric’s voice broke.
Diane fell silent.
He looked at me.
I already knew.
But hearing it from her changed something.
He had not merely failed to defend me.
He had built the story they used against me.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
I shook my head.
“No more.”
He turned back to the phone.
“Mom, I need you out of my life for a while.”
“What?”
“I mean it.”
“I’m your mother.”
“And Claire was my wife.”
Was.
The word hung between us.
Diane started crying.
Eric ended the call.
Then he sat on the stairs and covered his face.
I wanted to comfort him.
Habit pulled me forward.
Self-respect stopped me.
Rachel closed the folder.
“I’ll handle the petition.”
“When?” I asked.
“Today.”
“And closing?”
“Still on schedule.”
Friday.
The same day as my flight.
I picked up my suitcase.
Eric looked up.
“Is this the last time I’ll see you?”
I wanted to say no.
Instead I answered honestly.
May you like
“I don’t know.”
Then I walked out of the house I had once believed would be my forever home.
