Chapter 6 - The Glass Room
Two weeks later, Nathan was extradited back to Boston. Because of the severity of the flight risk and the millions of dollars unaccounted for in offshore accounts, his bail was set at a staggering three million dollars—cash only.
Diane and Brooke had been forced to fly back in coach, their credit cards canceled, their luxury lifestyles stripped down to the bone. They had spent the last forty-eight hours begging old family friends for money, only to find that the Mercer name had become radioactive.
I walked into the federal detention center's visitation room, dressed in a sharp, tailored white suit. I sat down behind the reinforced glass window.
A moment later, Nathan was led in. He looked unraveled. His stubble was thick, his uniform was a standard-issue orange jumpsuit, and the arrogant spark in his eyes had been replaced by a hollow, desperate panic.
He picked up the phone. "Cassandra... please. You have to listen to me. Elena was nothing. She was just a business connection. Her father was threatening to pull the funding—I did it for us. For our future."
"Our future?" I asked through the receiver, my voice completely devoid of anger, which made it far more terrifying to him. "Nathan, you didn't even know who I was. You thought I was a quiet wife who clipped coupons. You forgot that I spent twelve years tracking international white-collar criminals before I met you."
"Cassandra, call Gerald off. Tell the prosecutors the data was a joint mistake. If I go to prison, you get nothing! The house, the cars—they’ll seize it all!"
I let out a soft, melodic laugh that made him flinch against the glass.
"The house was bought by my family's trust before our wedding, Nathan. The cars are leased through the corporation I now control. You aren't leaving me with nothing. You are leaving with nothing. Your mother and sister have been served eviction notices from the luxury condos I was subsidizing. They have forty-eight hours to pack."
May you like
Nathan slammed his fist against the glass. "You can't do this! I made you!"
"You didn't make me, Nathan," I said, standing up and hanging up the phone. "You just stood on me so you could look taller. Enjoy the view from the floor."
