He waved me off dismissively, pointing to the broken glass on the floor, gesturing for me to clean it up. “Nothing. Just clean this mess up.”
He walked away, leaving his unlocked laptop sitting on the kitchen island.
As I swept up the glass, I glanced at the glowing screen. The browser was open to the banking portal. The wire transfer for the two-million-dollar settlement funds was queued up, waiting only for the final, physical signature on Friday.
They were so incredibly close to the finish line. They could taste the money.
Chapter 4: The Sound of Justice
Friday arrived with a heavy, overcast sky that perfectly matched my cold, calculated mood.
The mediator’s office was located in a sleek, high-rise building downtown. The conference room was intimidatingly formal—a massive, polished mahogany table surrounded by black leather chairs, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
I sat at the table, wearing a simple, elegant grey dress. I kept my posture slightly slumped, my eyes vacant, playing the role of the damaged, dependent wife to absolute perfection.
Logan sat next to me, wearing a sharp, custom-tailored suit, radiating an aura of confident authority. Pamela sat in the corner of the room, sipping sparkling water from a crystal glass, looking like a cat that had successfully swallowed a very expensive canary.
Across the table sat Mr. Davis, the neutral mediator handling the settlement disbursement, and a representative from the insurance company.
Between them, resting on the polished wood, lay a cashier’s check for two point five million dollars, accompanied by a thick stack of final transfer documents.
“Everything appears to be in order,” Mr. Davis said, pushing the documents toward Logan. “Since your wife is incapacitated and unable to manage her own financial affairs, we just need your signature on the final release forms, Mr. Miller. This will authorize the transfer of the settlement funds directly into the joint trust account you specified.”
“Of course,” Logan said smoothly, offering the mediator a practiced, sorrowful smile. “It’s been a tragic ordeal for our family, but I am just grateful to be able to take this burden off her shoulders so she can focus entirely on her recovery.”
Pamela nodded solemnly from the corner, playing her part.
