Chapter 6 - Madeline Started Talking
Madeline remained with police for most of the night.
By morning, her lawyer arrived.
By afternoon, she changed her statement.
Detective Mitchell told me before anyone else.
“She says Ryan never told her he planned to hurt you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That’s convenient.”
“She admits the affair.”
“She admits the business arrangement.”
“She admits her father wanted you removed from company decisions.”
“And the stairs?”
Mitchell paused.
“She saw him push you.”
I looked away.
Hearing it officially still hurt.
“She’ll testify?”
“She says she will.”
I did not feel grateful.
Madeline had watched Ryan drag me.
She had stayed upstairs.
She had not called police.
She had not opened the basement.
She was not innocent.
But she was no longer protecting him.
Then Mitchell revealed why.
After I was locked downstairs, Ryan turned on Madeline.
He blamed her for smiling at me.
He told her she had provoked the confrontation.
He warned her that if police became involved, her father’s zoning arrangement would collapse.
Then he took her phone.
Madeline finally understood that Ryan did not love her either.
She had been a connection.
A vote.
An introduction.
Just as I had been money, credibility, and ownership.
Ryan Carter apparently did not love people.
He arranged them.
Late that evening, Madeline requested to speak with me.
My lawyer advised against an in-person meeting.
So we spoke through a recorded video call with attorneys present.
Madeline appeared without makeup.
She looked nothing like the woman who stood in my robe.
“Elena.”
She said.
I did not answer.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry now.”
“Yes.”
“Were you sorry when you slept with my husband?”
She lowered her eyes.
“No.”
“At least that’s truthful.”
She flinched.
Then she said something unexpected.
“Ryan told me you were already leaving him.”
“He said the marriage was only financial.”
“He said you lived separate lives.”
I laughed.
“We shared a bed last week.”
Her face changed.
Ryan had lied to both of us.
Not surprising.
Then Madeline leaned closer to the camera.
“There’s something you need to know.”
“What?”
“The downtown project wasn’t the reason he wanted control.”
My lawyer looked up.
Madeline continued.
“There’s another development.”
“Bigger.”
“Offshore investors.”
“How big?”
She swallowed.
May you like
“Almost nine hundred million dollars.”
And apparently Ryan had already promised them ownership percentages in assets that legally belonged to me.
