Chapter 7
I didn't sleep that night.
I sat at my kitchen table surrounded by financial statements.
Every number seemed to represent another person I might disappoint.
Payroll.
Insurance.
Equipment leases.
Vendor payments.
The company had been my life's work.
Now I was staring at a loan I never authorized.
I felt sick.
At six in the morning, Jasmine arrived.
She carried coffee and a folder.
"Marcus."
I looked up.
"Any news?"
She nodded.
"Some."
My heart pounded.
She sat beside me.
"The lender has suspended further disbursements while the disputed application is investigated."
I exhaled.
"Thank God."
She continued.
"We're also working with the bank to secure the operating accounts."
I nodded.
Then she smiled faintly.
"And the employees?"
I looked at her.
"What about them?"
"Payroll is covered for this month."
My eyes filled.
I hadn't realized how badly I needed to hear those words.
I covered my face.
Jasmine placed a hand on my shoulder.
"We're not giving up."
I nodded through tears.
"I know."
That afternoon, I met with Tasha.
She sat across from me in my office.
Her eyes were red.
Her hands trembled.
I felt ashamed.
"Tasha, I'm so sorry."
She shook her head.
"Mr. Bennett, you didn't make me invest."
I swallowed.
"But Damian used my connection to earn your trust."
She looked down.
"Yes."
I took a breath.
"We've reported the scheme. There's an asset recovery process underway."
She nodded.
"I know."
Then she whispered,
"My husband thinks we might have to sell the house."
My heart broke.
I stared at her.
For years, Tasha had worked beside me.
She helped keep the company running when I was sick.
She covered shifts when employees had emergencies.
She never complained.
And now she was afraid of losing her home.
I took a breath.
"Tasha, I can't promise what the investigation will recover."
She nodded.
"But I can connect you with legal and financial assistance."
Her eyes filled.
"Thank you."
I continued.
"And I want to explore whether the company can offer temporary support without harming payroll or other employees."
She began crying.
"Mr. Bennett..."
I held up a hand.
"You're part of this team."
She nodded through tears.
For the first time in days, I felt a little purpose.
Not because I could fix everything.
Because I could still choose how to treat people.
That evening, Nia asked to speak with me.
She had been staying in the guest room.
We were communicating mostly through attorneys.
But she looked frightened.
"Marcus, I heard they found Damian."
I nodded.
"Yes."
She swallowed.
"Is he cooperating?"
"I don't know."
She looked down.
Then whispered,
"I never thought he'd do this."
I stared at her.
"Nia, he told you to take our savings."
She began crying.
"I know."
"He persuaded you to sign documents without telling me."
She nodded.
"And he was waiting at a hotel for you to leave me."
Her face crumpled.
"I know."
I took a slow breath.
"Why did you trust him?"
She wiped her cheeks.
"Because he made me feel important."
My heart tightened.
She continued.
"He told me I deserved more."
I looked away.
More.
The word hurt.
I had spent years giving everything I could.
But perhaps I hadn't given enough attention.
Perhaps I'd stopped asking how she felt.
I could acknowledge those mistakes without accepting blame for her betrayal.
I looked at her.
"Nia, you deserved to feel important."
She raised her eyes.
I continued.
"But you also deserved the truth. And so did I."
She began crying harder.
I took a breath.
"Damian didn't force you to have an affair."
She shook her head.
"No."
"He didn't force you to tell me you didn't need me anymore."
She covered her face.
"No."
I swallowed.
"Those were your choices."
For a long moment, she cried quietly.
Then whispered,
"I know."
I looked at her.
She continued.
"I was selfish."
The words surprised me.
For weeks, she had explained.
Justified.
Blamed Damian.
Blamed stress.
Blamed our marriage.
Now she was finally accepting responsibility.
I nodded slowly.
"Thank you for saying that."
She looked up hopefully.
Then I continued.
"But it doesn't fix what happened."
Her face fell.
"I know."
I took a breath.
"Nia, I think we need to separate."
She began sobbing.
"Marcus, please."
I closed my eyes.
"I can't rebuild this marriage while I'm still trying to understand how it was broken."
She nodded.
For once, she didn't argue.
She didn't demand forgiveness.
She simply cried.
The next morning, Olivia called.
The lottery claim process had advanced.
The winning ticket was verified through the proper procedures.
The jackpot had been shared with another winning ticket, reducing the total prize available to our slip.
After considering payout options and applicable taxes, the expected proceeds were still life-changing.
I sat quietly while Olivia explained.
I thought I would feel excited.
Instead, I felt exhausted.
Money had become the center of everything.
My wife's betrayal.
Damian's scheme.
The company's financial problems.
The fight over our house.
And now a lottery prize.
I looked toward the window.
"Olivia, what happens with the divorce?"
She answered carefully.
"The lottery proceeds may be marital property depending on the circumstances and applicable law. We need to handle the claim and any distribution transparently."
I nodded.
"That's what I want."
She continued.
"We'll also need to address the disputed transfers and debts."
I took a breath.
"Okay."
I didn't want to hide the ticket.
I didn't want to punish Nia by manipulating the money.
I wanted fairness.
Accountability.
And the chance to rebuild my life honestly.
That afternoon, Jasmine came over.
I told her the lottery ticket had been validated.
She stared.
Then began laughing.
"Marcus!"
I smiled weakly.
She hugged me.
For a moment, I laughed too.
Then she pulled back.
"Why aren't you happier?"
I looked down.
"Because I thought winning would feel different."
Her expression softened.
I continued.
"I thought we'd celebrate together."
She nodded.
I swallowed.
"I thought I'd buy Nia the vacation she wanted."
Jasmine took my hand.
"Marcus, you can still have a beautiful future."
I looked at her.
She smiled sadly.
"It just might not be the future you imagined."
I began crying.
She hugged me.
Then whispered,
"That's okay."
For a long time, we sat quietly.
Then my phone rang.
Detective Carter.
Her voice was serious.
"Mr. Bennett, we have an update about Damian."
My heart pounded.
"What?"
"Investigators recovered records showing he planned to move funds through several overseas accounts."
I closed my eyes.
Then she continued.
"We also found a document naming Nia as a business partner."
I froze.
"What?"
She took a breath.
"According to the records, Damian intended to list her as responsible for certain investor obligations."
My hands began shaking.
My wife had believed Damian was taking her toward freedom.
But he had been preparing to leave her holding the blame.
May you like
And suddenly, I realized the worst thing about the betrayal wasn't that Nia had stopped loving me.
It was that she had trusted a man who never cared whether she survived the consequences.
