The IRS agents stepped in, holding him back. “Mr. Coleman, sit down. We have questions about the offshore shell company ‘C&C Holdings.’”
David froze. “C&C Holdings? That was a legacy fund for the kids. It’s empty.”
“It’s not empty,” the agent said, showing him a statement. “It was liquidated forty-eight hours ago. The funds were moved to a private trust in the United Kingdom. Authorized signature: Catherine Coleman.”
David’s head hit the desk with a dull thud. He finally understood. I hadn’t just left him. I had dismantled him, piece by piece, and taken the pieces with me to London.
Chapter 5: The London Dawn
The morning air at Heathrow was crisp and tasted of rain. As we walked through the terminal, Nick, an old friend of my father’s, was waiting with a sign that read WELCOME HOME.
“Tired, kiddo?” he asked, taking my suitcase.
“Exhausted,” I admitted, but for the first time in a decade, my chest didn’t feel tight.
We drove to a small, elegant house in Chelsea, a place I had purchased through the trust months ago. It had a small garden in the back, full of bluebells and a weathered oak tree.
“Is this our house, Mom?” Chloe asked, her eyes wide.
“It is,” I said, kneeling to hug them both. “No more lies. No more ‘business meetings.’ Just us.”
As I settled the kids into their rooms, my phone chimed. A final email from Steven.
