After 28 Lockouts, I Finally Locked Him Out Chapter 04

After 28 Lockouts, I Finally Locked Him Out Chapter 04

That afternoon, Maya was happier than I’d seen her in years.

She went from one gallery to another, holding my hand and telling me everything she’d just read in the little guidebook.

She had wanted to go to Paris to see the museums for a long time.

Julian had promised to take her many times.

But every time, Leo would suddenly want to go fishing in the Caribbean or skiing in Switzerland, and Julian would cancel the trips we had already booked.

He always said, “Leo doesn’t have his mom living with him. I have to make it up to him. You understand, Clara.”

“Next time, I promise. We’ll go.”

Three years had passed. We never went.

We stayed at the museum until it closed.

When we returned to the house in Chestnut Hill, the atmosphere in the living room hit me the moment I opened the door.

Leo was on the sofa with his foot in an exaggerated cast, his leg propped up. Julian and Eleanor sat on either side of him. Beside them stood a man in a dark suit I didn’t recognize.

The door opened, and all four of them looked over.

Leo spoke first, his tone a mix of aggression and self-pity.

“How can she still be in the mood to go out and have fun? My ankle is practically broken, and she and Maya were out all afternoon, having a great time.”

Eleanor immediately chimed in.

“Clara, I know you’re not Leo’s mother, but we’re still family. Julian called you all afternoon, and you ignored every call. It turns out you were just out having fun with Maya.”

After she finished, she looked at Julian, her expression one of barely contained hurt.

Julian’s face was grim.

“Are you going to take responsibility for what happened today or not? Do you even remember your duties as co-manager?”

I looked at them.

Julian, Eleanor, Leo, and the stranger stood together like a neat little unit.

Maya and I stood in the doorway, intruders in our own home.

Leo shouted again, “Dad, she did it on purpose. She doesn’t care about me at all.”

Eleanor gently dabbed the corner of her eye, her voice growing softer.

“Julian, just forget it. Don’t blame her. It’s my fault for not being here as his mother…”

“You don’t need to speak for her,” Julian cut her off.

He looked at me, his tone like a judge announcing a verdict.

“Clara, considering your recent lack of cooperation, I’ve authorized Eleanor, as Leo’s legal guardian, to hire Mr. Rosenberg here. He is an independent CPA who will conduct a comprehensive audit of all trust matters you’ve handled over the past year.”

He gestured toward the man.

“Now, hand over all relevant documents. You are to cooperate fully.”

An audit.

The word sent a chill through me.

So I wasn’t just someone whose access could be revoked at will.

I was also someone who could be investigated at any moment.

When I didn’t react, Julian’s brows furrowed.

“This is no longer a family conflict, Clara. This concerns your professional judgment. Eleanor and Mr. Rosenberg are here to help get the trust back on track. As the responsible partner, you should cooperate.”

Responsible partner.

I remembered the day he’d first appointed me, introducing me with that exact phrase at a family dinner.

He’d said I was the person he trusted most.

Now I understood. In this family, “trust” was just a tool to make me more useful.

I smiled.

In front of all of them, I took my phone out of my bag and opened the email that had been sitting in my drafts all day.

The recipients were Julian and both of our lawyers.

I pressed send.

Then I turned the screen toward Julian.

“Check your inbox.”

Julian pulled out his phone, his expression still impatient.

But when he saw the subject line, his entire body went rigid.

The subject was clear.

“Formal Notice Regarding Resignation as Co-Manager of the Westwood Family Education Trust and Initiation of Divorce Proceedings”

I looked at him and said, enunciating every word,

“I’m done being the responsible partner in this family.”