Page 79 of Happily Ever After

“Well,” Cece said. “Maybe a little of what we feel. But that’s why Joe’s here. To tell us what will work legally and what won’t.”

He smiled.

Maude reached into her bag and took out a sheaf of papers. Copies of the document she’d emailed to them, Paige realized. Maude slid copies to each of them. “This is so everyone can follow along with what I found,” she said. “I’ll walk you through it.”

Blaise flipped through hers, brows lifting. “This is…a lot.”

“There was a lot to find,” Maude replied. “And it’s proof that Darcy’s been at this game a while.”

They all listened as Maude methodically explained what she’d uncovered. The repeated language. The pattern of involvement. The way Darcy inserted herself into established groups and introduced procedural disputes that drained momentum until the group fractured or dissolved.

“She doesn’t start any of these groups,” Maude said. “But she definitely destroys them. Mostly by forcing people into exhausting arguments about fairness and access until they see no viable way forward.”

Althea nodded slowly. “Death by paperwork?”

“That’s a big part of it,” Maude said. “I’m sure people just get so fed up with her trying to take over that they just quit.”

Essie frowned. “So it’s not personal like we thought.”

Maude shook her head. “Yes and no. I think it started out as her deciding the book club was her next target. But then Paige became a problem when she didn’t fold, so it became a little personal.”

Paige nodded. That was an apt summary. “It’s possible she didn’t even really know the real reason for my divorce.” She held a hand up. “I’m still glad I told the truth about that. It can never be used against me again.”

Cece picked up from there. “Joe reviewed the most recent bylaws Paige got from Jerry at the Colony office. The issue Darcy is exploiting—the one about private clubs meeting regularly—is poorly written, but Joe, you should be the one to explain.”

Joe folded his hands. “Cece’s right. The bylaws are poorly written. Enough that Darcy could absolutely make trouble with the language that currently exists. Enough that, if she pushed, it could end up in front of a judge.”

Blaise exhaled sharply. “That’s ridiculous.”

“It is,” Joe agreed. “But ridiculous doesn’t mean harmless.”

“Maybe we should let her push. It would be her dime, wouldn’t it?” Althea asked.

“Only on her side. If the Colony had to fight it, there would probably be a special assessment to help cover legal costs. In most cases, the groups have simply given in,” Joe said. “Which is how she’s destroyed so many.”

Paige leaned forward. “And we have to assume she’s going to keep pushing.”

“Yes,” Joe said. “Because she’s already invested and because that seems to be how she operates.”

Silence settled over the table.

Essie shook her head. “I don’t see what she gets out of this. Is it just a power trip?”

Maude shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe she was the last one picked for every team in school, and this is her revenge.”

“For some people,” Joe said. “Power is enough.”

“So what do we do?” Blaise asked.

Suggestions came quickly.

“We could pause book club,” Blaise offered, clearly hating the idea even as she said it.

“No,” Althea said immediately. “That rewards her.”

Blaise nodded. “True.”

“We could open it up,” Essie said. “Make it technically accessible.”