The passengers began leaving the aircraft in a slow procession.<\/p>\n
Ryan waited near the forward exit.<\/p>\n
Valerie remained beside the door, thanking each traveler as they passed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHave a wonderful afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnjoy Cancun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan stood only a few feet away.<\/p>\n
He looked exhausted.<\/p>\n
\u201cValerie.\u201d<\/p>\n
She did not answer.<\/p>\n
He stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me you were flying to Austin.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me you were working.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
The word stopped him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had hours to prepare an explanation. Don't waste one on something you haven't thought through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan lowered his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cAshley and I have been seeing each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never intended for you to find out like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie almost smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow exactly did you intend for me to find out?\u201d<\/p>\n
He said nothing.<\/p>\n
That silence was an answer.<\/p>\n
Ashley finally stepped off the aircraft.<\/p>\n
She stopped beside Valerie.<\/p>\n
Ryan looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou promised me you would wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou promised me a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan's face hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley looked at Valerie.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to tell you everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie glanced toward the terminal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we find somewhere private.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI'll come with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis concerns me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt concerns my marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're making this worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already did that.\u201d<\/p>\n
She walked away with Ashley.<\/p>\n
They found a quiet seating area near the far end of the terminal.<\/p>\n
Ashley sat down but kept both hands wrapped around her handbag.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should have told you months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout the affair?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd about the money.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie's attention sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat money?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley opened her bag.<\/p>\n
She removed a white envelope.<\/p>\n
Ryan's handwriting was visible across the front.<\/p>\n
Valerie stared at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you get that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave it to me last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said you had already signed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie took the envelope.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat everything?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know. That's what scared me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie opened it.<\/p>\n
Inside was a photocopy of a document.<\/p>\n
Her name appeared near the bottom.<\/p>\n
Her signature appeared beneath it.<\/p>\n
Valerie's stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
She knew immediately that she had never signed it.<\/p>\n
The document concerned a transfer of funds connected to one of Ryan's companies.<\/p>\n
The amount was $240,000.<\/p>\n
She read the figure twice.<\/p>\n
Ashley watched her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me it was part of the divorce settlement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he tell you about me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat you had agreed to leave the business interests alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never agreed to anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me you were unstable. That you were angry about the divorce. That you might accuse him of stealing from you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie stared at the document.<\/p>\n
Then she noticed something else.<\/p>\n
A date.<\/p>\n
Six months earlier.<\/p>\n
That was before she had ever discussed divorce.<\/p>\n
Before she had even suspected Ashley existed.<\/p>\n
She turned the page.<\/p>\n
There was a second document.<\/p>\n
A corporate authorization.<\/p>\n
Her name again.<\/p>\n
Her signature again.<\/p>\n
The same amount.<\/p>\n
Different account.<\/p>\n
Valerie felt the room become unnaturally quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn't just about your affair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen tell me what you do know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley took a breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cRyan told me he was going to divorce you, move money into another company, and start over with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie looked down at the paperwork.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich company?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCarter Development Holdings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie knew the name.<\/p>\n
Ryan had created it three years earlier.<\/p>\n
He had described it as a small investment entity for future projects.<\/p>\n
Valerie had never been involved in its operations.<\/p>\n
Ashley continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said you owned part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me you did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley leaned forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was another thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie waited.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wanted me to sign something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA loan guarantee.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie looked at her sharply.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor how much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo hundred forty thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n
The amount on the paper.<\/p>\n
Valerie's fingers tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you sign?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the account information didn't match what he told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie looked at the document again.<\/p>\n
That explained the fear in Ashley's voice.<\/p>\n
Ryan had not simply been cheating.<\/p>\n
He had been constructing a financial story in which both women could be made responsible for money they had never borrowed.<\/p>\n
Valerie stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe're going to the authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley looked frightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWill they believe me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don't need to believe either of us yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie folded the documents carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey need to see evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan appeared at the end of the corridor.<\/p>\n
Valerie saw him before he saw them.<\/p>\n
He stopped.<\/p>\n
His expression changed when he noticed the envelope in her hand.<\/p>\n
For the first time that day, Valerie saw something close to genuine panic.<\/p>\n
He walked toward them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you get that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you not to open it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie's eyes remained on him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy is my signature on these documents?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can explain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou've used that sentence several times today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't forge anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie held up the paper.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen tell me when I signed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked down.<\/p>\n
His silence was immediate.<\/p>\n
Valerie understood.<\/p>\n
He had no answer.<\/p>\n
Ryan rubbed his forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cValerie, I was trying to protect our assets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the divorce.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe weren't getting divorced.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were going to leave me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were unhappy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie's voice became quieter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn't permission to manufacture documents.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan looked around.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet's go somewhere private.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are staring.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He lowered his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have no idea what this could do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie looked directly at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's the first honest thing you've said.\u201d<\/p>\n
A man in a dark suit approached.<\/p>\n
He had been watching from several seats away.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Carter?\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy name is Daniel Mercer. I'm with airport security.\u201d<\/p>\n
He glanced at the documents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe received a report concerning possible financial fraud connected to one of the passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan's face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's absurd.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at Valerie.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre these documents yours?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you authorize the transfers?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I recommend you do not leave the terminal with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't understand our situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel remained calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you can explain it when the investigators arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan looked at Valerie.<\/p>\n
His expression was no longer pleading.<\/p>\n
It was angry.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're doing this to me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie held his gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
She placed the documents inside her handbag.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did this to yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan's phone began ringing.<\/p>\n
He looked at the screen.<\/p>\n
For one second, Valerie saw the name.<\/p>\n
Michael.<\/p>\n
Ryan declined the call.<\/p>\n
The phone rang again.<\/p>\n
He declined it again.<\/p>\n
Daniel noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is Michael?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan said nothing.<\/p>\n
Valerie remembered the company documents.<\/p>\n
Carter Development Holdings.<\/p>\n
The signature.<\/p>\n
The $240,000.<\/p>\n
The fabricated divorce.<\/p>\n
And now Michael.<\/p>\n
She looked at Ryan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is he?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan's jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one.\u201d<\/p>\n
The phone rang a third time.<\/p>\n
This time Ryan answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n
He listened.<\/p>\n
His expression slowly changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean the account is frozen?\u201d<\/p>\n
Valerie watched him.<\/p>\n
Ryan turned away.<\/p>\n
The lie had finally reached a point where even he could no longer control every piece of it.<\/p>\n
The passengers began leaving the aircraft in a slow procession. Ryan waited near the forward exit. Valerie remained beside the door, thanking each traveler as they passed. \u201cThank you.\u201d \u201cHave … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sharestory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6453"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6465,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6453\/revisions\/6465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}