Chapter 11 - A Marriage Built on Signatures
Rachel removed another stack of papers.
Unlike the previous documents, these were neatly organized with colored tabs.
Mark recognized them immediately.
"So you kept copies..."
"I keep copies of everything," I replied.
He laughed bitterly.
"I should have remembered."
During our marriage, I had handled every important document.
Insurance.
Taxes.
Property records.
Company registrations.
Employment contracts.
Mark always joked that paperwork gave him headaches.
So I did it for him.
Emma looked confused.
"You worked for his company?"
"I practically built its administration."
Mark interrupted.
"You answered emails."
Rachel immediately corrected him.
"She also drafted supplier agreements, monitored payroll, maintained compliance records, prepared quarterly reports, and communicated with outside accountants."
Emma stared.
"You did all that?"
I shrugged.
"It needed to be done."
Mark folded his arms.
"She exaggerates."
Rachel quietly handed Emma one employment record.
Emma read the title aloud.
"'Operations and Financial Administrator.'"
She looked at Mark.
"You told me she stayed home."
"I simplified it."
Vanessa burst out laughing.
"You simplify everything."
Emma continued reading.
"'Authorized to approve transactions up to two hundred thousand dollars.'"
Her eyebrows rose.
"You trusted her with that much money?"
Mark answered automatically.
"Of course."
Then he realized what he had admitted.
Emma noticed.
"So she wasn't just your wife."
"No."
"She helped run the company."
Mark looked away.
Rachel smiled slightly.
"And according to these documents, many of your current business procedures still use systems Laura designed."
Emma slowly lowered the papers.
"So after the divorce..."
I nodded.
"He lost the person who knew where everything was."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"I noticed."
Mark suddenly became angry.
"You all think you're smarter than me."
"No," I answered.
May you like
"We simply read what you signed."
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