Chapter 5 - The Collapse
By nightfall, the consequences of David’s actions fell upon him like an avalanche.
True to her word, Evelyn arrived at her house at 6:00 PM with Marcus and a locksmith. They found David’s car parked in the driveway, packed to the brim with his clothes and personal belongings. David was sitting on the curb, his head in his hands, weeping. Chloe had already fled in a taxi, terrified of the impending criminal charges.
As Evelyn got out of the car, David rushed toward her. "Evelyn, please! The clinic is ruined. My staff all quit this afternoon when the investigators showed up. I have nothing left!"
Marcus stepped between David and Evelyn, his massive frame casting a long shadow. "Step back, pal. You have a restraining order. Don't make me call the deputies back."
David shrank back, looking pitiful. "Evelyn, how could you do this to me? I’m the father of your child!"
Evelyn looked at him, feeling absolutely nothing. No anger, no regret. Just a cold satisfaction. "You stopped being her father the second you locked her out in the cold. You chose your path, David. Now you get to walk it."
The locksmith quickly changed the deadbolts on the front door, the heavy clicks sounding like finality. Evelyn walked into her home. The air was warm, but it smelled of Chloe’s heavy perfume.
"Marcus, help me get this trash out of here," Evelyn said, pointing to the expensive Christmas tree and the decorations David and Chloe had put up.
Together, they dragged the decorated tree out to the curb, tossing it beside David’s car. They stripped the master bedroom of every sheet, every pillowcase, throwing them into trash bags. Evelyn would not sleep on anything those two had touched.
Over the next two days, the legal system worked with brutal speed. Confronted with the overwhelming evidence of insurance fraud and embezzlement, David’s attorney advised him to take a plea deal. He signed over sole custody of Lily to Evelyn, waived all rights to the house, and agreed to a heavy alimony structure that would drain what little assets he had left after his clinic was forced into liquidation.
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Chloe, facing felony fraud charges, turned state’s evidence against David in hopes of avoiding prison time, completely destroying whatever "love" they claimed to have shared. David was facing a minimum of three years in state prison, his dental license permanently revoked.
He had wanted a new life. Now, he was going to spend it in a concrete cell.
