Chapter 18: The Unlikely Alliance
Rebuilding a life from the ashes of a scandal requires a strong foundation.
A month later, I was sitting in a chic downtown coffee shop. Across from me sat Chloe, Preston’s former bride.
She looked entirely different from the terrified woman who had shown up on my porch with a manila envelope. She wore a sharp tailored suit, her hair cut into a sleek bob.
"Thank you for meeting me," Chloe said, sliding a thick folder across the table. "I know this is unorthodox."
"Unorthodox is an understatement," I smiled, opening the folder. "What is this?"
"It’s a business proposal," Chloe said, sitting up straight. "When Preston's world imploded, I realized how close I came to being trapped in that family forever. I had money, but I had no voice. You showed me that a voice is more powerful than a bank account."
I looked down at the documents. The letterhead read: The Whitmore Foundation: Legal Aid for Survivors of Familial Abuse.
"I took the money my parents had set aside for my dowry," Chloe explained, her eyes shining with determination. "I want to start a non-profit foundation to provide high-powered legal representation for women and children who are trying to escape abusive, wealthy families. The kind of families who use money to silence their victims."
I was stunned. It was brilliant.
"I want you to be the co-director, Evelyn," Chloe reached across the table. "You know how these people operate. You know how to beat them. You have the public's trust, and I have the initial capital to get this off the ground."
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I thought about David, the IT guy, who was currently running a highly successful cybersecurity firm thanks to the GoFundMe money. I thought about the thousands of messages I had received from women all over the country saying my story gave them the courage to stand up to their own abusers.
"Chloe," I smiled, closing the folder. "I think we're going to be a very dangerous team."
