Chapter 1 - The Anatomy of a ParasiteTrust became the weapon Ethan used to disarm every reasonable boundary.
Whenever the monthly statements arrived with charges from restaurants I had never visited, clothing boutiques where I had never shopped, or hotels where I had never stayed, Ethan had an explanation ready.
“Client entertaining, Claire.”
“A networking dinner for the warehouse redevelopment.”
“You know how these developers operate. If I don't look the part, they won’t sign.”
Gradually, the emergency business trips multiplied. The late nights stretched into mornings. And the credit card bills climbed from hundreds to thousands, and then into tens of thousands of dollars.
Yet I kept quiet, convincing myself that his success was our success—that every dollar spent was an investment in the empire we were building together.
Until the afternoon I walked into his downtown office to drop off signed architectural permits and heard Vanessa’s voice laughing behind his closed door.
I hadn’t kicked in the door. I hadn’t screamed.
I had simply listened through the frosted glass as Vanessa—my best friend since college, the woman who had stood beside me at my wedding—asked him when he was finally going to get rid of his "suburban anchor."
Ethan’s reply had been even worse than the betrayal itself.
“Give it a month. Once the city council approves the rezoning, her business is legally tied to mine. After that, she won't have the leverage to leave.”
I hadn't waited for the rezoning.
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I had walked straight to my attorney, filed for divorce, frozen every joint asset they hadn't already hidden, and revoked every secondary card attached to my accounts.
Which brought us right back to the ballroom floor.
