Chapter 5 - THE DOCUMENTS THEY BROUGHTKelsey did not come to the house only because of the affair.
She brought a document box.
That became Ethan’s defense for why she had any reason to be there.
The box contained:
Vendor statements.
Property cash-flow reports.
A proposed temporary operating agreement.
A proposed parenting schedule.
And one document Ethan wanted me to sign immediately.
Authorization allowing him to draw up to $85,000 from our commercial credit line without my co-signature for sixty days.
I had refused earlier.
Why?
Because I found irregular payments to a vendor called Northvale Property Services.
Over eleven months:
$5,800.
$4,300.
$6,100.
$5,450.
Again.
Again.
About $58,000 total.
Some invoices said emergency repairs.
Others:
consulting.
unit-turn coordination.
after-hours labor.
Northvale was owned by Kelsey’s cousin, Darren Hart.
That did not automatically mean fraud.
It did mean disclosure mattered.
I asked for invoices.
Ethan became furious.
“You’re doing this because of Kelsey.”
“I’m doing it because fifty-eight thousand dollars went to her cousin.”
“He works.”
“Then paperwork should be easy.”
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The argument about the affair became the argument about money.
The argument about money became the reason Ethan claimed he needed Kelsey in my kitchen.
