Chapter 5 - The Illusion of Victory
By Wednesday morning, Daniel Mercer was convinced he was a god among men.
Standing in the master bedroom of our home—which was now empty of any trace of Cooper or me—he admired his reflection in the full-length mirror. He straightened the silk lapels of his custom tuxedo, purchased with a brand-new credit card issued under Claire’s name.
On the king-sized bed, Jessica Collins was admiring herself in a daring emerald-green designer evening gown, taking selfies and adjusting a sparkling diamond choker.
"Daniel, baby, this dress cost fourteen thousand dollars," Jessica purred, fluttering her manicured fingers. "Are you sure Claire's card won't decline when the statement closes?"
Daniel chuckled dismissively, walking over to press a kiss against her bare shoulder. "Claire is a coward, Jess. She’s probably crying in some run-down trailer park in North Carolina right now. She hasn't disputed a single charge. She wouldn't know how to file a fraud report if her life depended on it."
"What about that boy?" Jessica asked with a slight pout. "You don't think she’ll try to drag you into family court for child support?"
"Let her try," Daniel sneered. "My buddy at the district court says cases like hers take eighteen months to even get a hearing. By then, I’ll be sitting on the executive board of the Henderson Group with a seven-figure salary. Once we close the funding rounds at the Vance Gala on Friday, I'll hire a legal army to strip her of custody completely. We’ll raise Cooper the right way."
The bedroom door swung open, and Linda Mercer bustled in, wearing an ostentatious plum dress and dripping in costume jewelry.
"Oh, look at my two darlings!" Linda gasped, clasping her hands together. "You look like royalty! I just posted on Facebook that my Daniel is attending the Vance Global Gala this weekend. Half the ladies at the country club are dying of jealousy! They’re asking if Daniel can introduce their husbands to Chairman Vance!"
"Tell them I'll see what I can do, Mom," Daniel said, his chest swelling with pride. "Vance Global is worth over a trillion dollars worldwide. If I can get just five minutes with Arthur Vance or his executive board, Henderson Automotive will expand into twenty new locations by next spring."
"And to think you almost wasted your life with that kitchen mouse," Linda sneered, waving her hand dismissively. "Claire couldn't even manage to bake a cake without crying. You were born for greatness, Danny."
"I know, Mom," Daniel smiled, checking his gold watch. "Let's head downstairs. The limousine Jessica’s uncle arranged will be here in an hour. Tonight, the Mercer name joins the billionaires."
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Daniel took Jessica’s arm, and together they strutted out of the house, completely blind to the unmarked black sedan parked three houses down, where two investigators were quietly logging every movement, every photograph, and every financial transaction.
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