Chapter 6 - The Fallout
By Wednesday afternoon, the scandal had completely devoured Garrett Bennett’s carefully curated social circle.
When Garrett returned to the suburban house after spending two humiliating hours meeting with his terrified defense attorney, he found the front door unlocked and a team of professional movers carting his personal belongings out to the driveway in cardboard boxes.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Garrett shouted, storming up the driveway as two burly movers carried out his golf clubs and placed them next to a pile of cheap clothing and old college memorabilia.
The lead mover didn’t even look up. “Orders from Bennett Capital, buddy. All personal property belonging to unregistered residents is being cleared out.”
“I am legally married to the owner of this house!” Garrett roared, his face turning a deep, furious shade of crimson. “You can’t just throw my things on the street!”
“Actually, Mr. Bennett,” a cool, smooth voice chimed in from the driveway entrance.
Garrett spun around. Standing by a sleek black SUV was Miranda Stone, wearing her signature sunglasses and holding a thick manila envelope. She looked at him the way a scientist might look at an uninteresting insect under a microscope.
“The house is held exclusively in an LLC owned entirely by Naomi Bennett prior to the marriage,” Miranda recited effortlessly, stepping forward. “Furthermore, pursuant to the emergency asset-freezing injunction granted by the court this morning, all residential access rights have been formally revoked.”
Garrett’s chest heaved as he stared at the lawyer, his manicured facade completely disintegrating. His hair was messy, his shirt wrinkled; the invincible entrepreneur was gone, replaced by a desperate, panicked man standing in a pile of his own garbage.
“Where is Naomi?!” Garrett yelled, taking a step toward Miranda. “I want to talk to my wife! She can’t do this to me! We built this life together!”
“Built this life?” Miranda echoed, letting out a short, cold laugh. “Garrett, for eight years, Naomi carried you like a dead weight while you played businessman and slept with subordinates on company dime. You didn't build anything. You leeched.”
She tossed the manila envelope directly onto the top of his largest cardboard box.
“What’s this?” Garrett muttered, his hands shaking as he opened it.
“That is your copy of the amended divorce decree, alongside a formal notification from the Denver District Attorney’s office,” Miranda said smoothly. “It appears Sienna Brooks has decided to cooperate fully with federal investigators. Her testimony places you squarely at the center of the TechVista embezzlement scheme. Expect a call from the grand jury by Friday.”
The color drained completely from Garrett’s face. He stumbled backward, his knees buckling slightly as he hit the edge of the open cardboard box.
“No…” he whispered, shaking his head in denial. “No, Sienna wouldn’t… she loves me…”
“She loves herself, Garrett,” Miranda said, turning back toward her SUV. “Just like you loved yourself. Welcome to the real world.”
May you like
She climbed into the vehicle, leaving Garrett standing alone in the middle of his driveway as the movers tossed his last box onto the pavement and drove away.
***
