Chapter 4 - The Loan

Nathan read Aaron’s email twice.

Then a third time.

“Do not answer.”

We were back in his office, the Mercer Vale report between us.

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Good.”

“How did he find out?”

Nathan turned his laptop toward me.

“Prescott’s finance team knows the lender is an affiliate of Mercer Vale. Once your asset disclosures began moving through counsel, someone recognized your surname.”

“My surname is Prescott.”

“Your maiden name is Mercer. Trust documents tend to preserve inconvenient facts.”

I looked at the screen.

“So now he thinks I can call the loan.”

“Can you?”

“No.”

“Can your aunt?”

“Not alone.”

“Can Mercer Vale?”

“Yes, if Prescott violates covenants.”

Nathan leaned forward.

“That distinction is everything.”

My phone buzzed.

AARON: Claire, please. The loan is tied to 1,200 jobs.

I felt heat rise in my chest.

“He thinks I’d threaten employees to punish him?”

“He’s scared.”

“That does not excuse it.”

“No.”

I stood and paced.

“My grandfather would have hated this.”

“The loan?”

“The appearance.”

Nathan closed the report.

“Then remove the appearance.”

“How?”

“Recuse yourself formally from any Mercer Vale matter involving Prescott Global or affiliates until the divorce is final.”

“I can do that.”

“Have Nora send independent counsel confirmation that you have not directed, requested, or discussed enforcement.”

“I haven’t.”

“Good.”

“And if Prescott actually breaches?”

“Then Mercer Vale handles it without you.”

I called my aunt from Nathan’s conference room.

Nora Mercer answered with her usual efficiency.

“Claire.”

“I need to recuse from all Prescott-related matters.”

“I assumed you would.”

“You heard?”

“I saw the Slack screenshot at five this morning.”

I covered my face.

“Please don’t.”

“I’m not judging the marriage. I am judging the punctuation.”

“Nora.”

“One comma was missing.”

Nathan looked away to hide a smile.

“I need a written record.”

“You’ll have it within the hour.”

“Also, has anyone at Prescott contacted you?”

“Yes.”

I straightened.

“Who?”

“Their CFO.”

“What did he want?”

“Assurance that your divorce would not affect the credit facility.”

“And what did you say?”

“That Mercer Vale does not run credit policy through family drama.”

I exhaled.

“Thank you.”

“Claire.”

“Yes?”

“Do not confuse independence with passivity. Protect your assets.”

“I am.”

“And protect your name. You are not required to become small so they can feel safe.”

After we hung up, Nathan said, “I definitely like your family.”

“You haven’t met my mother when she’s angry.”

“I’m a divorce lawyer. Angry mothers pay my mortgage.”

An hour later, Aaron arrived by appointment.

Not to see me.

To meet Nathan.

Nathan asked whether I wanted to be present.

“Yes.”

Aaron entered the conference room with two attorneys, including Lillian Grant from Prescott’s outside counsel.

His gaze went directly to me.

“Claire.”

“Aaron.”

Lillian opened a folder.

“We’re here to discuss immediate financial safeguards.”

Nathan held up a hand.

“No. We’re here because your client sent mine a message implying she might manipulate a commercial loan.”

Aaron spoke before Lillian could stop him.

“I didn’t imply that.”

“You wrote, ‘Please don’t do anything with the loan.’”

“I panicked.”

Nathan smiled without warmth.

“That is not a legal category.”

I slid Nora’s recusal letter across the table.

“I have removed myself from any Prescott-related Mercer Vale discussion until the divorce is final.”

Aaron read it.

His shoulders visibly loosened.

“That’s all I needed.”

I stared at him.

“No. Apparently what you needed was proof I wouldn’t become the kind of person you already decided I might be.”

“Claire, I found out this morning that my wife owns part of one of our largest private lenders.”

“And I found out three days ago that my husband kissed his direct report.”

Lillian looked at the table.

Nathan did not.

Aaron’s voice dropped.

“Those are not the same.”

“No. Mine was an inheritance. Yours was a choice.”

Silence.

Lillian tried to redirect.

“Mrs. Prescott, we appreciate the recusal.”

“Ms. Mercer is fine.”

Aaron looked at me sharply.

I met his eyes.

“I’m changing it back after the divorce.”

He looked as if I had slapped him.

Nathan moved on.

“We also need temporary household arrangements, preservation of assets, and communication rules.”

“I want to go home,” Aaron said.

I answered.

“No.”

“It is my home too.”

“I’m not asking the court to remove you. I’m asking you voluntarily.”

He looked at his attorneys.

Lillian spoke quietly.

“Aaron, the company apartment is the cleanest option during the temporary period.”

He laughed bitterly.

“So everyone has decided.”

“No,” I said. “You decided over months. We’re documenting the result.”

He stared at me.

Then he signed the temporary occupancy agreement.

Before leaving, he paused by my chair.

“Did you ever plan to tell me about Mercer Vale?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

I thought about lying.

I didn’t.

“When I trusted that knowing would not change how you saw me.”

His face tightened.

“I would never have cared about your money.”

“You cared enough this morning to think I might weaponize it.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Maybe not.”

I looked down at the signed agreement.

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“But neither was marriage.”

For once, Aaron had no answer.