Chapter 4 - The Spider's Web
By 2:00 PM, the story had hit the local news sites.
“MAJOR BROAD STREET DEVELOPMENT COLLAPSES AS MERCER GLOBAL PULLS FUNDING; LEAD PROJECT MANAGER FIRED.”
The article featured a high-resolution photo of Daniel standing frozen at the podium, looking completely humiliated, while Victoria Vance scurried behind him trying to avoid the cameras.
I sat in the sunroom of the Dewees house, sipping green tea while reviewing financial statements. The shock of the morning was beginning to fade, replaced by a cold, surgical clarity.
When you spend four years loving a man, you build a detailed map of his mind. I knew Daniel’s vulnerabilities better than he did. I knew he was terrified of looking poor. I knew he was terrified of being seen as a failure by his upper-class fraternity brothers and his country club peers. Most of all, I knew he was utterly dependent on the invisible safety net I had provided for him.
My phone rang. It was an unlisted number.
I answered it. "Hannah Mercer."
"Hannah! God, Hannah, please don't hang up!" Daniel's voice was ragged, hyperventilating. I could hear the sound of heavy traffic in the background. "Hannah, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind? The lawyers came to the presentation! They fired me in front of the Mayor! They pulled the funding for Broad Street!"
"I know," I said calmly, setting my tea down. "I instructed them to do it."
"Why?!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "Because I stepped out for a few hours? Because I helped an old friend in crisis? You’re destroying my career over a misunderstanding!"
"A misunderstanding, Daniel?" I smiled slightly, though there was no warmth in it. "You left our bed at 2:13 AM on our wedding night. You packed a bag. You walked out to an idling SUV containing a woman you've been pining after for seven years. You left your wedding ring on the counter."
"She was in danger, Hannah!" Daniel pleaded desperately. "Her husband—Richard—he found out she was talking to me and he threatened her! She had nowhere to go! I was just being a gentleman! I was going to bring her to a hotel, check on her, and come right back! I swear to God, nothing happened between us!"
"You didn't take her to a hotel, Daniel," I said evenly.
Silence fell over the line. Cold, heavy silence.
"What?" he whispered.
"You took her to the beachfront cottage on Isle of Palms," I revealed softly. "The one owned by Mercer Holdings that you had the master key code for. You checked into the property at 3:10 AM. You ordered room service from the local coastal bistro using the corporate account card at 3:45 AM. Two steaks, a bottle of Cabernet, and a chocolate torte."
I heard Daniel draw in a sharp, terrified breath.
"Did you really think I wouldn't track the cards, Daniel? Did you really think I didn't know every property owned by my own family?"
"Hannah... please... listen to me..." his confidence was completely shattered now. "I... she was upset. She was crying. We had a drink to calm her down. I slept on the couch! I swear to you on my life, I slept on the couch!"
"It doesn't matter where you slept, Daniel," I replied. "What matters is where you stood. You stood on the wrong side of me."
"Hannah, you're ruinning my life!" he screamed, dropping the apologetic tone as anger flared up. "I don't have access to my bank account! My credit cards are declined! My company lease on the Audi was canceled two hours ago—the dealership just picked it up from the Apex parking lot! I'm sitting on a park bench in downtown Charleston with a suitcase!"
"Then I suggest you call Victoria," I said coldly. "She seems to be the one you prioritize in emergencies."
"She left!" Daniel spat out, his voice laced with bitter shock. "As soon as the news hit that Broad Street was canceled and I was fired, she took an Uber to the airport! She said she needed to 'sort things out with her husband'!"
I almost laughed out loud. Victoria Vance was a predator of opportunity. The moment Daniel lost his status, his six-figure salary, and his connection to the Mercer empire, he ceased to be a heroic knight—he became a liability.
"That's unfortunate," I said. "It seems both of the women in your life have moved on."
"Hannah, please," Daniel was crying now, genuine, terrified tears. "I love you. I made a terrible, stupid mistake. I was flattered by her calling me. My pride got the better of me. Please, let's talk about this. We’re married! We stood in front of God yesterday!"
"We stood in front of five hundred people, Daniel," I corrected him. "And the marriage license was never filed. I had my attorney hold the paperwork until Monday morning. As far as the State of South Carolina is concerned, we are completely single."
"No... no, Hannah, don't do this to me..."
"Goodbye, Daniel."
I hung up the phone.
I looked at Clara, who was standing by the door. "Has the foreclosure notice been served on the Magnolia Lane house?"
May you like
"Served twenty minutes ago," Clara confirmed. "Since the house was purchased in cash by Mercer Realty LLC and leased to Mr. Brooks under a temporary pre-marital occupancy agreement, his failure to pay the initial security deposit today constitutes a breach of lease. Eviction officers will clear the remaining property by tomorrow afternoon."
"Good," I stood up, walking to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean. "Now, let's begin phase two."
