Chapter 6 - Their Son Came Home
Ethan Mercer was twenty-one.
He attended Stanford.
He learned about the separation from social media.
A photograph of Daniel leaving Mercer Global headquarters had been published online.
Headline.
MERCER CEO PLACED ON LEAVE AMID FINANCIAL REVIEW.
Ethan called Rebecca immediately.
“Mom.”
“What happened?”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
She had wanted to tell him herself.
“Your father and I are separating.”
“Why?”
“He has been seeing someone.”
Silence.
“How long?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“You do.”
Rebecca sighed.
“At least a year.”
Ethan cursed under his breath.
Then.
“Who?”
“Chloe Bennett.”
He went silent again.
Ethan knew Chloe.
Not well.
She had attended two company holiday parties.
Daniel introduced her as a marketing consultant.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Is Dad in trouble?”
Rebecca looked at the company reports.
“Yes.”
“Did you cause it?”
That question hurt.
Not because Ethan meant cruelty.
Because Daniel had already reached him.
“What did your father say?”
“That you’re trying to take the company because you’re angry about the affair.”
Rebecca nodded slowly.
Of course.
“Ethan.”
“I did not create the transactions.”
“I did not move company money.”
“I did not pay Chloe.”
“I found records.”
“Then the board acted.”
He was quiet.
“Are you coming home?”
“Yes.”
“Tomorrow.”
Rebecca waited at the airport.
Ethan walked through arrivals wearing a Stanford sweatshirt and carrying one backpack.
He hugged her.
Hard.
Then he asked.
“Where are we going?”
“My apartment.”
“Not home?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“The penthouse was sold.”
Ethan stepped back.
“What?”
“It belonged to the trust.”
“I know that.”
“Dad doesn’t.”
“He knows now.”
Ethan almost smiled.
Then he stopped.
“Where is Dad?”
“Hotel.”
“And Chloe?”
“No idea.”
They drove in silence.
Halfway home, Ethan said.
“Dad called me three times.”
“What did he want?”
“He said you’ve been planning this for months.”
Rebecca looked through the windshield.
“That part is true.”
Ethan turned toward her.
“You knew about Chloe that long?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you leave immediately?”
Rebecca took a breath.
May you like
“Because after twenty-three years, I wanted to understand whether I was leaving a cheating husband.”
“Or something worse.”
