Then he frowned.
“The numbers don’t make sense.”
Elise looked up.
“What do you mean?”
“The amount listed here isn’t correct.”
Margaret suddenly remembered something.
Years earlier, she and Theodore had sold a small parcel of land.
Nathan had convinced them to contribute part of the proceeds toward the down payment.
Theodore had insisted on obtaining written confirmation.
Fortunately, he had kept everything.
He opened an old folder stored on his phone.
The image appeared immediately.
The transfer receipt contained Nathan’s signature.
Elise stared at the screen.
At that moment, she finally understood that she had enough evidence to uncover the entire scheme.
The Reckoning
Nathan arrived shortly after ten o’clock.
He stepped inside wearing an expensive jacket and carrying an expression of complete confidence.
That confidence disappeared within minutes.
Margaret folded her arms.
“You lied to us for months.”
Nathan sighed.
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“No, it isn’t,” Theodore replied.
Elise calmly presented every document one by one.
The room grew quieter as the evidence accumulated.
Nathan attempted to defend himself by insisting that every decision had been technically legal.
Theodore placed the transfer receipt directly in front of him.
Nathan’s face lost all color.
“You kept that?” he asked.
“I keep records of important things,” Theodore answered.
Nathan lowered his head.
For the first time in many months, he seemed genuinely ashamed.
Then he revealed another painful truth.
The woman for whom he had sacrificed everything had left him several weeks earlier.
She had decided that protecting herself was more important than protecting their relationship.
Nathan finally realized that he had destroyed the people who had cared for him most.
At that moment, Ethan stepped out of his bedroom.
“You don’t have to whisper anymore,” he said quietly.
Nathan looked at his son.
“You should go back to your room.”
“No. This concerns all of us.”
A Small Door Left Open
Nathan remained silent for a long time.
Eventually, he looked directly at Elise.
“I know I can’t undo what I did.”
“No, you can’t,” she answered.
“But I want to make things right.”
Elise listened carefully while Nathan described his proposal.
He agreed to return the cabin.
He agreed to increase financial support for the children.
He agreed to establish a legally binding arrangement regarding future responsibilities.
Elise’s expression never changed.
“I don’t want promises.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Documents. Signatures. Accountability.”
Nathan nodded.
“You’ll have all of it.”
Ethan stood quietly near the doorway.
Then, unexpectedly, he spoke.
“Do you know how to play chess?”
Nathan blinked in surprise.
“A little.”
Ethan crossed his arms.
“That probably means you’re not very good.”
