Chapter 12 - THE POLICY
Robert came to Rachel’s office voluntarily.
He looked broken before anyone asked a question.
“Yes,” he said. “That was me.”
I wanted to hate him cleanly.
Instead I felt something worse: disappointment so complete it became numbness.
“What life insurance?”
Robert slid a folder across the table.
Michael had purchased a $2 million policy on me eight months earlier through a company benefit program.
Beneficiary: Michael Bennett.
Contingent beneficiary: Bennett Family Holdings LLC.
Patricia.
My mouth went dry.
“Did they plan to kill me?”
Robert shook his head too quickly.
“No. At least… not when I was involved.”
“When you were involved?”
He admitted he had known about the financial scheme. He knew they wanted to force a divorce, make me surrender shares, and protect Michael from discovery.
He said the insurance policy frightened him.
“Patricia told me it was leverage.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know.”
Rachel leaned forward. “Why did you stay quiet?”
Robert’s eyes filled.
“Because thirty years ago, I built the first Bennett company with money Patricia’s father gave us. She never let me forget it. Every bad decision after that became another chain.”
I didn’t feel sorry for him.
But I believed him.
Then Rachel asked the question I had been avoiding.
“Did Michael ever discuss Emma’s death?”
Robert stared at the table.
Too long.
My pulse kicked.
“Robert.”
He whispered, “Once.”
The room went still.
“He said if something happened to you before the divorce, the financial problems disappeared.”
I felt sick.
Rachel’s voice sharpened. “What did Patricia say?”
May you like
Robert looked at me.
“She said accidents happen every day.”
