The Chair He Took From His Pregnant Wife

Vanessa called again shortly after noon.

I was still at Daniel's office, reviewing the list of records we had requested from the company.

When her name appeared on my screen, I felt my pulse quicken.

Daniel gestured for me to answer.

"Hello?""

"I found something," Vanessa said.

Her voice was quieter than before.

"What did you find?""

"An email I sent myself several weeks ago. I had been checking event schedules and access arrangements for the gala, and I saved a message about the records room because I needed to coordinate a delivery.""

"Can you explain?""

"I work with the outside firm responsible for several event logistics. Part of my job involved coordinating access for vendors and staff. On that particular day, I received a notice about a restricted area being temporarily opened for an executive records transfer.""

I glanced at Daniel.

He wrote down the date she mentioned.

"What did the email say about Ethan?"" I asked.

"It didn't accuse him of anything. It listed an authorized access window and the name of the person who had requested it.""

"Was that Ethan?""

"Yes.""

Daniel leaned closer to the phone.

"Vanessa, this is Daniel Brooks, her attorney. Please don't forward confidential company records to anyone without confirming that you're authorized to do so. If you have a message that you were entitled to receive or retain, preserve it in its original form and consult appropriate counsel about how to handle it.""

"Understood.""

I swallowed.

"Does the email say what he removed?""

"No. It only refers to a records transfer. I don't want to pretend I know more than I do.""

Her answer surprised me.

Until that moment, I had expected her to offer a dramatic revelation.

Instead, she was being careful.

Maybe she was afraid.

Maybe she was finally beginning to understand that the truth could hurt her, too.

"Why did you save the message?"" I asked.

"Because I needed to remember the access window for the event. It was part of my job. I didn't think it would matter later.""

"Can you establish whether the folder you saw was connected to that access window?""

"I think so, but I need to compare the dates. I don't want to send you something that doesn't prove what I think it proves.""

"That's fair.""

There was a pause.

Then Vanessa said, "There's something else you should know.""

I waited.

"Ethan has been asking me whether you contacted me.""

My fingers tightened around the phone.

"When?""

"This morning. He called twice, then sent a message asking whether I had spoken to you about the company.""

"Did you tell him?""

"No.""

"Why not?""

"Because I didn't know what to say.""

I looked at Daniel.

He mouthed the words preserve everything.

"Vanessa, don't lie to him on my behalf," I said.

"But don't let him pressure you into making statements that aren't true, either.""

"I know.""

Her voice cracked slightly.

"I'm sorry about last night.""

I closed my eyes.

It wasn't the apology I had wanted from my husband, but hearing it from her still stirred something uncomfortable inside me.

"You sat in the chair he took from me.""

"I know.""

"You knew I was pregnant.""

"I know.""

"Then why did you sit down?""

She didn't answer immediately.

Finally, she whispered, "Because I wanted to believe I was the person he chose.""

I stared at the wall.

For a moment, I saw the woman in the red dress standing beside Ethan, lifting her champagne glass as I struggled to remain upright.

I had wanted to hate her.

Part of me still did.

But I also understood what she had just admitted.

She had wanted to be chosen.

I had wanted my husband to remember that he had already chosen me.

Neither desire excused what happened.

"I'm not going to tell you that everything is fine," I said.

"It isn't.""

"I understand.""

"But if you have information about the records, preserve it and let the proper people review it.""

"I will.""

The call ended.

Daniel turned toward me.

"She's being more careful than I expected.""

"Does that mean she's telling the truth?""

"Not necessarily. It means she's distinguishing what she saw from what she assumes. That's useful, but we still need independent verification.""

He returned to the document on his desk.

"We should also discuss your position. You're now the registered owner of the transferred shares, but we need to determine the full scope of the rights attached to them. We should not assume that the supplemental agreement changes Ethan's authority without reviewing the governing documents.""

I nodded.

"I don't want to take over his job just because he hurt me.""

"Good. Decisions about the company should be based on evidence and proper process, not personal retaliation.""

I looked down at my hands.

"But I don't want him hiding things from me anymore.""

"That is a different matter.""

Daniel finished reviewing the records request and sent a follow-up to the company's legal department.

He also advised me to preserve all communications related to the transfer, including Ethan's messages and Vanessa's account.

I followed his advice.

By early afternoon, I was back home.

Ethan's car was parked in the driveway.

My stomach tightened before I even opened the front door.

He was standing in the living room with his jacket draped over the back of a chair. His phone lay on the coffee table beside an untouched cup of coffee.

He turned when I entered.

"Where have you been?""

"At my attorney's office.""

His expression darkened.

"Of course you have.""

I placed my purse on the console.

"Did you need something?""

"We need to talk about last night.""

"We already talked about it.""

"No, we didn't. You walked out of the gala, went straight to your lawyer, and started sending requests to the company.""

"I asked for records connected to my ownership rights.""

"You don't understand how damaging that looks.""

I stared at him.

"To whom?""

"To the board. To the investors. To me.""

There it was again.

Me.

Everything seemed to return to Ethan's reputation.

He walked toward the window, then turned back.

"I have spent years building my position in that company.""

"My father gave you the opportunity to lead it.""

"And I've earned the right to be there.""

"I never said you hadn't.""

"Then why are you treating me like a criminal?""

"I'm not. I'm asking for information about an agreement bearing my name.""

He laughed bitterly.

"Your father always did know how to complicate things.""

The words struck me like a slap.

I straightened.

"Don't talk about him that way.""

"I'm telling the truth. He created an unnecessarily complicated structure, and now everyone is acting like it means something sinister.""

"Then you should have no problem explaining it.""

His face tightened.

"I've explained it repeatedly.""

"No, you've told me that I don't understand it. You've told me to trust you. You've told me that I'm making everything difficult. You haven't explained a single thing.""

He looked away.

I took a slow breath.

"Did you remove documents from the records room three weeks ago?""

His head snapped toward me.

"Who told you that?""

The answer came too quickly.

He realized it at the same moment I did.

I stared at him.

"I asked you a question.""

"Where did you hear that?""

"Does it matter?""

"Yes, it matters. Those records were confidential.""

"So you did remove them?""

"I moved a folder for review. That's all.""

My heart began beating faster.

"Why?""

"Because some of the records were outdated, and they needed to be checked against the current agreements.""

"Who requested the review?""

"I did.""

"Who received the documents?""

He hesitated.

"Outside counsel.""

"Which firm?""

His jaw tightened.

"I don't have to answer every question you ask.""

I felt the baby move, and I placed a hand against my stomach.

"I am the registered owner of the transferred shares. If those records relate to my ownership rights, I am entitled to ask what happened to them.""

"You're not entitled to every confidential document in the company.""

"Then the company's lawyers can explain what I'm entitled to receive.""

He stared at me.

For the first time, I could see that he wasn't simply angry.

He was calculating.

He was trying to determine how much I knew, who had told me, and how far the information had spread.

I had seen him do that during business negotiations.

He would ask questions that sounded casual but were designed to reveal what the other person knew.

Now he was doing it to me.

"Did Vanessa contact you?"" he asked.

I kept my expression still.

"Why would she?""

"Because she has a habit of involving herself in things that aren't her business.""

I said nothing.

He took a step toward me.

"Listen carefully. Vanessa works for an outside firm. She doesn't understand the company's ownership structure, and she has no business discussing confidential records with you.""

"Then you shouldn't have anything to worry about.""

His eyes narrowed.

"You think you're clever.""

"No. I think I'm tired.""

He looked at my stomach.

For a brief moment, I hoped he might finally notice how exhausted I was.

Instead, he said, "You need to calm down. This stress isn't good for the baby.""

I felt a cold anger rise inside me.

"Don't use our child to silence me.""

"I'm trying to protect you.""

"From what?""

He opened his mouth.

Then he closed it.

The silence stretched between us.

Finally, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.

"I spoke to the company's legal department," he said.

"They've prepared a document to clarify how the ownership arrangements will be handled while everything is reviewed.""

He placed it on the coffee table.

I didn't touch it.

"What is it?""

"A temporary acknowledgment. It confirms that the transfer doesn't change the existing management structure while the company reviews the agreement.""

"Have my attorney review it.""

His face hardened.

"Why does your attorney need to be involved in everything?""

"Because he's my attorney.""

"This is between us.""

"No, Ethan. It's about company ownership.""

He picked up the paper and pushed it toward me again.

"Just read it.""

I glanced at the first paragraph.

The language appeared straightforward, but I remembered Daniel's warning not to sign anything related to the company without consulting him.

"I'll send it to my attorney.""

Ethan's expression changed instantly.

"You don't trust me anymore.""

I looked at him.

"Last night, you told me I didn't belong beside you. This morning, you tried to take my phone. Now you're asking me to sign a document you won't explain.""

He stared at me.

"What do you expect me to do?""

"Tell me the truth.""

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then he gathered the paper and shoved it into his pocket.

"You're making a terrible mistake.""

I felt a strange calm settle over me.

"Maybe. But I won't make it by signing something I don't understand.""

He walked toward the front door.

Before leaving, he turned back.

"Whatever Vanessa told you, she's not your friend.""

I held his gaze.

"I never said she was.""

"Then stay away from her.""

He opened the door.

"Ethan.""

He paused.

"Did you know about the supplemental agreement before this morning?""

His hand tightened around the doorknob.

He didn't turn around.

"I knew your father had prepared documents.""

"Did you know what they contained?""

A long silence followed.

Then he said, "You should have asked him while he was still alive.""

The door slammed behind him.

I stood motionless in the living room.

For several seconds, I could barely breathe.

That wasn't an answer.

It was an attempt to make me feel guilty for asking.

I looked at the paper he had tried to make me sign, then took out my phone and called Daniel.

He answered immediately.

"Ethan brought me a document," I said.

"He wants me to acknowledge that the transfer doesn't change the management structure.""

"Did you sign it?""

"No.""

"Good. Send me a copy before you do anything else.""

I photographed every page and sent it to him.

A few minutes later, he called back.

"I haven't completed the review, but there is language here that concerns me. It appears to ask you to acknowledge more than the current management structure. I need to compare it with the supplemental agreement before I can tell you what effect it might have.""

I sat down slowly.

"Could signing it affect my rights?""

"It could, depending on how the document is interpreted alongside the existing agreements. Don't sign it until we've reviewed it fully.""

I closed my eyes.

Ethan had walked into our home and asked me to sign away something I didn't understand.

Then he had accused me of making a terrible mistake when I refused.

My phone vibrated.

A message from Vanessa appeared.

I checked the date. The records-room access request was submitted three weeks ago, and Ethan was listed as the requesting executive.

A second message followed.

I also found an old email referring to the supplemental agreement. It says the original documents were to remain available for review by the registered shareholder after the transfer.

I stared at the screen.

Then another message arrived.

There may be a record of where the folder was sent. I'm checking with the appropriate people before I say anything else.

I looked toward the front door Ethan had slammed.

For months, he had told me the company needed him.

He had told me that I didn't understand the business.

He had told me that trusting him was the only way to protect our family.

But now he was asking me to sign a document that might affect the very rights my father had spent months securing for me.

And Vanessa had uncovered something he clearly hadn't expected her to find.

The original shareholder records hadn't simply disappeared.