Chapter 7 - Ivy Goes Home
I left the hospital four days after Ivy was born.
My knee was bruised.
My body felt like I had been dismantled and reassembled badly.
I was not heroic.
I cried when the car seat straps confused me.
I cried when milk leaked through my shirt.
I cried because the nursery lamp was too bright.
Then cried because I had chosen it with Grant.
Postpartum life did not wait politely for fraud litigation.
My sister Julia came from Portland for two weeks.
Different Julia from former treasury manager? We already have Julia Denton. Avoid. Let's name my sister "Anna."
Anna Ellison.
Three years younger.
A pediatric physical therapist.
She took night shifts with Ivy when I could not keep my eyes open.
Jonah did not move into my house.
Helena did not sit at my kitchen table giving legal updates every hour.
We created boundaries.
Corporate investigation happened through counsel.
Family law through separate attorney, Lydia Chen.
Criminal case through prosecutors.
My life through me.
Grant requested to see Ivy.
That question hurt.
He had not physically harmed our daughter.
He had abandoned me while I was in labor and attempted corporate fraud during her birth.
Those facts mattered.
But paternity and parenting rights required legal process.
Temporary family court orders allowed supervised visits initially because of the instability, pending fuller assessment.
Grant protested.
Then agreed.
First visit happened at a professional visitation center.
I did not attend.
Ivy was six weeks old.
A supervisor held the boundaries.
Grant cried when he held her.
Later the supervisor’s report said:
Appropriate interaction.
No concerning behavior.
That was difficult to accept emotionally.
People can commit serious fraud and still hold a baby gently.
I did not need him to be evil in every category.
Then divorce.
I filed.
Grounds not theatrically based on mistress.
Colorado no fault.
Marriage irretrievably broken.
Prenup reviewed.
My preexisting Ellison Meridian shares remained separate under agreement.
Grant’s six percent vested nonvoting equity belonged to him subject to company transfer restrictions and potential civil claims.
We did not confiscate it because he cheated.
Then marital assets.
Home.
Retirement.
Joint savings.
Allocated according to agreement and law.
Grant’s secret debts were analyzed.
Some marital.
Some separate.
His unauthorized business liabilities not automatically mine.
Then Celeste.
She pleaded guilty to the garage assault charge and began negotiating financial counts.
She remained free on bond under conditions after initial detention.
No contact with me.
No company access.
Then the court hearing on preserved accounts.
Celeste’s attorney argued some funds were legitimate consulting revenue.
The judge agreed they could not simply label every dollar stolen.
Tracing review.
Approximately $2.1 million remained restrained.
About $700,000 released after evidence showed legitimate earnings, taxes, and unrelated funds.
Good.
Grant’s accounts.
Some restricted corporate trace proceeds.
His ordinary personal funds remained accessible for living expenses and legal counsel subject to normal rules.
No magical financial annihilation.
Then Ellison Meridian board.
Grant placed on administrative leave.
Later terminated for cause after special committee report established undisclosed conflicts, false vendor approvals, and misuse of credentials.
His six percent nonvoting equity remained subject to shareholder agreement.
The company had a repurchase option upon termination for cause at independently determined formula value.
Would they exercise?
Yes.
But not for zero.
Independent valuation.
Repurchase net of valid company claims after due process.
Grant could challenge.
He did.
Then River North.
Sale halted.
Project remained.
Investors furious.
Some wanted me removed too.
Why?
“I knew for six months.”
Fair question.
I had informed special committee before continuing silence.
The board knew.
Investors were told investigation had been active.
Good governance saved me.
Then one board member asked:
“Why did you keep working while pregnant?”
I stared.
Then Malcolm Reyes interrupted.
“That is not relevant.”
Good.
Pregnancy was not evidence of weakness.
Then I returned to executive work gradually after eight weeks.
Not because Grant expected twelve.
Because I chose eight with flexible schedule.
Rebecca Shaw, our chief development officer, handled daily operations meanwhile.
No crisis.
No acting husband.
Then Ivy slept on my chest during one video call.
An investor laughed.
I nearly apologized.
Stopped.
May you like
My daughter was not evidence I lacked control.
The old lie was already dying.
