Chapter 10 - Ethan Learned Why Corinne Married Him
The question haunted Ethan.
Why marry him?
Money?
Control?
Obsession?
Margaret’s cooperation produced the answer.
All three.
Corinne had grown up watching Margaret build wealth through influence.
She admired her.
Worked for her.
Learned from her.
When Claire discovered irregularities in the Carter trust, Margaret sent Corinne to “manage the problem.”
Corinne became Claire’s friend.
Then met Ethan.
Margaret expected her to collect information.
Instead, Corinne became emotionally attached to him.
Claire noticed.
She confronted Corinne weeks before the accident.
A recovered message read:
Stay away from my husband.
Corinne answered:
You don’t know what he deserves.
Ethan felt sick reading it.
After the crash, hospital confusion gave Corinne an opportunity nobody planned.
Claire was mistakenly listed under another identity.
Another woman was mistakenly identified as Claire.
Corinne called Margaret.
Margaret told her to correct the mistake.
At first.
That surprised everyone.
Then Corinne asked:
“What happens to the audit if Claire stays gone?”
Silence.
That single question changed everything.
Margaret admitted she understood immediately.
Without Claire, the audit stalled.
Without the audit, Margaret kept control.
Corinne handled Ethan.
Margaret handled paperwork.
The arrangement began.
Then it grew.
Corinne isolated Claire.
Married Ethan.
Helped challenge Maisie’s paternity.
And gained household access.
Margaret gained financial time.
Neither expected Claire to keep collecting evidence.
Neither expected Ryan to help.
Neither expected Maisie to remember the cabinet.
Ethan asked Margaret during deposition:
“Did Corinne marry me because of the trust?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Initially, she stayed close because of it.”
“And later?”
Margaret looked uncomfortable.
“She wanted you.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“That’s supposed to make it better?”
“No.”
Claire later asked him:
“Did you love her?”
Ethan answered honestly.
“I thought I did.”
Claire looked down.
“That hurts.”
“I know.”
He didn’t say it wasn’t real.
It had been real to him.
That made the betrayal worse.
Then Claire said:
“I don’t know if we can go back.”
Ethan looked at her.
“I don’t want to go back.”
She frowned.
“I want to know if we can build something from here.”
Claire said nothing.
No instant reconciliation.
Good.
They both needed truth more than romance.
Meanwhile, Corinne faced additional charges tied to fraud, falsified records, interference with Claire’s identity, and the abuse of Maisie.
The financial case expanded.
Then investigators found one more secret.
Corinne had taken out a $2 million life insurance policy on Ethan eight months after marrying him.
Claire stared at the document.
Ethan did too.
Beneficiary:
May you like
Corinne Carter.
👉 Ethan finally learned Corinne married him partly for access and control—but the secret life-insurance policy raised a frightening question about what she planned after the trust was secured.
