Chapter 3
Ramona’s business was called RH House.
Originally, it was a personal styling consultancy.
Then Dulcie became unexpectedly popular online.
A mother-daughter fashion post performed well.
Then another.
Brands contacted Ramona.
Within two years, RH House had contracts with children’s clothing companies, skincare brands, travel resorts, and toy manufacturers.
Dulcie earned real money.
Approximately $420,000 gross over thirty months.
Benedict had known the number broadly.
What he did not know was how the money moved.
Under their divorce agreement, income earned directly from Dulcie’s likeness or performance had to be accounted for separately.
A protected account held a percentage.
Reasonable production costs could be deducted.
Ramona’s company could receive management fees, but only at commercially reasonable rates and with annual disclosure.
Benedict had stopped receiving the annual disclosures eleven months earlier.
Ramona said her accountant was behind.
He believed her for too long.
Then Dulcie missed school for a three-day resort campaign.
The school emailed both parents.
Benedict had never approved the absence.
That triggered his review.
RH House had paid itself management and production fees equal to nearly forty percent of Dulcie’s gross compensation.
Some costs were legitimate.
Photographers.
Travel.
Editing.
Wardrobe.
Legal review.
Others were vague.
“Brand development.”
“Image architecture.”
“Lifestyle coordination.”
Benedict asked for an independent accounting.
Ramona refused.
Then he filed the custody modification.
Marcus told him:
“Custody court is not a business audit.”
“I know.”
“But the workload and money can be relevant if they’re affecting Dulcie.”
“I know.”
“And if you want financial records, ask separately.”
Benedict did.
That motion was scheduled for the same Monday.
Ramona faced two problems at once.
Potential reduction in school-week custody.
Independent review of Dulcie’s earnings.
Ainsley had discovered the accounting discrepancy first.
She worked in nonprofit development and spent half her life reviewing budgets.
Three months earlier, she noticed an RH House tax document left on Benedict’s desk.
She asked why a child’s earnings were producing so much related-party revenue.
Benedict did not know.
He started asking.
Ramona knew exactly who had started it.
Texts later showed it.
Ramona to a friend:
Ainsley has turned Benedict into an auditor.
Another:
She wants my daughter in her perfect little replacement family.
Another:
Nell gets to play angel while Dulcie is treated like a problem.
There was the resentment.
Nell was not only Ainsley’s child.
In Ramona’s mind, she represented a rival version of daughterhood.
Quiet.
Academically strong.
Long hair.
Polite around adults.
The traits relatives praised openly.
Dulcie was louder.
More impulsive.
Loved cameras.
Hated sitting still.
Ramona heard every comparison as criticism.
Some comparisons had actually happened.
One grandmother once said:
“Nell always looks so put together.”
Dulcie heard.
Ramona never forgot.
That explained the cruelty.
It did not yet explain the planning.
Then investigators obtained the birthday photographer’s original booking messages.
Ramona had written:
Need continuous coverage from 3:30 to 4:15. Benedict leaves around 3:40. Important window.
Important window.
May you like
Benedict had been expected back at 4:20.
Ainsley kicked Ramona at 4:07.
