Elliot came and sat next to me.
That’s when I discovered what he had been doing during the previous weeks.
He had begun to gather everything that Daniel had neglected since his departure.
- School payments that had not been made.
- Unpaid medical bills.
- Messages in which Daniel refused to help pay for groceries because he said he was « starting a new life ».
- Screenshots of posts in which Daniel talked about the luxurious honeymoon that he and Claire had already booked.
But Elliot hadn’t simply kept those items.
He had brought everything to my lawyer who was handling the divorce.
A request filed that same morning
Inside the famous « wedding gift » was a copy of an emergency motion filed by my lawyer that very morning.
Daniel sought to reduce the child support payments by claiming to be experiencing financial difficulties.
But this claim was now being challenged using evidence showing his expenses.
Even when he was still living with us, he already considered seven sons to be expensive.
He now seemed to be discovering that his responsibilities did not simply disappear because he had left home.
« You used my son against me! » Daniel yelled.
Elliot moved slightly closer to the phone.
« No, Dad. »
His voice was surprisingly calm.
« You’re the one who taught me how to do it. »
