I looked toward Vanessa.
She had placed her handbag beside the flowers.
"We'll be moving into the lake house," she said.
"Ethan says you won't need something that large."
I stared at her.
She actually believed this was settled.
"That house belonged to my grandmother."
Ethan smirked.
"Everything belongs to the marriage until a judge says otherwise."
That was when I understood how little he knew.
I reached for the pen.
His shoulders relaxed.
Vanessa smiled again.
I turned to the acknowledgment page.
I signed only the line confirming that I had received the documents.
Then I closed the folder.
"I'll have counsel review the rest."
His smile disappeared.
"You don't have counsel."
The door opened.
My father walked in.
Rebecca Shaw was beside him.
Rebecca had represented Mercer Holdings for almost fifteen years.
She was fifty-three.
Short gray hair.
Black suit.
No wasted words.
Dad looked first at me.
Then at the babies.
Then at Ethan.
Finally, his eyes moved toward Vanessa.
His expression became very still.
"Daniel," Ethan said.
Dad ignored the greeting.
Rebecca stepped beside my bed.
"Claire."
"Rebecca."
"I understand you've been given documents."
I handed her the folder.
Ethan's face tightened.
"This is a private marital matter."
Rebecca opened the first page.
"Then you should have arranged for service through counsel rather than confronting a recovering patient."
"I didn't confront anyone."
Dad finally spoke.
"You brought your mistress into my daughter's hospital room less than a day after she nearly died."
Vanessa picked up her bag.
"I don't think I need to stand here and be insulted."
Dad looked at the bag.
"No."
His voice remained calm.
"You probably don't."
Vanessa's fingers tightened around the handle.
Rebecca turned another page.
Then another.
She almost smiled.
"Interesting."
Ethan stepped forward.
"What?"
"You've identified Mercer family trust assets as marital property."
"My attorney handled that."
"Then your attorney should read the trust."
Ethan looked at me.
"You told me those shares became ours after marriage."
"No."
"I said the dividends helped support our household."
"Same thing."
Rebecca looked up.
"It is very much not the same thing."
Silence.
Dad walked toward the bassinets.
He touched one finger gently to Luke's blanket.
Then he turned back toward Ethan.
"Do you know whose money paid for everything you think belongs to you?"
Ethan laughed once.
"I've worked for Mercer for seven years."
"You managed one subsidiary."
"I grew it."
Dad nodded.
"That's what you believe."
Vanessa looked between them.
"Ethan?"
He ignored her.
Dad continued.
"The lake house is held by the Mercer Family Trust."
Ethan's face changed.
"The Manhattan apartment is held by the trust."
Another pause.
"The investment portfolio you listed is held by the trust."
Rebecca closed the folder.
"And the voting shares you've identified as jointly owned are Claire's separate property under both the trust instrument and your prenuptial agreement."
