Chapter 3: The House He Had Already Sold
I read the message three times.
Then I looked at Michael.
"Can I ask you something?""
He glanced toward the twins.
"Anything.""
"Do you know why someone would tell me to check my mortgage documents?""
His expression changed.
Rebecca noticed immediately.
"What is it?""
I showed them the message.
Michael read it silently.
"Emily, did Tyler have access to your financial accounts?""
"Of course. We're married.""
"Did you both sign the mortgage?""
"Yes. But I handled most of the payments.""
He looked toward Rebecca.
She slowly opened the folder again.
"Michael," she whispered, "show her the other document.""
I frowned.
"What other document?""
Michael hesitated.
Then he pulled out a printed email.
It was dated six weeks earlier.
The sender was Tyler's company email address.
The recipient was a property investment firm in Fort Lauderdale.
The subject line read: Transfer of Ownership—Carter Residence.
My fingers went cold.
"That's my house.""
Michael nodded.
"According to this correspondence, Tyler was negotiating a sale.""
"Without telling me?""
Rebecca touched my arm.
"Emily, there's something you should know. Vanessa told me Tyler was planning to move to Florida permanently.""
I stared at her.
"He told me he was coming home to our house.""
"He told me the same thing about our marriage.""
I looked down at the email again.
The proposed sale price was $485,000.
Our mortgage balance was approximately $278,000.
There was enough equity to leave us with a substantial amount of money.
And my name was nowhere in the correspondence.
"How could he sell a house without my signature?""
Michael shook his head.
"He couldn't legally transfer the property if your ownership interest required your consent. But he could attempt to refinance, forge authorization, or enter into an agreement contingent on paperwork.""
I felt dizzy.
"I need to call my bank.""
Michael nodded.
"Do that before you leave Miami.""
I sat on a nearby bench while Rebecca held Poppy for a moment.
My hands shook as I dialed the mortgage company.
After several transfers, a representative named Daniel came on the line.
"Thank you for calling. How may I assist you today?""
"My name is Emily Carter. I need to know whether anyone has submitted a request involving the mortgage on my property.""
"Certainly. For security purposes, I'll need to verify your identity.""
I answered his questions.
There was a pause.
Then Daniel's voice became more careful.
"Mrs. Carter, I can confirm that a loan modification request was submitted approximately six weeks ago.""
"By whom?""
"Your husband, Tyler Carter.""
"Was it approved?""
Another pause.
"The request is currently under review due to a discrepancy in the submitted authorization documents.""
My heart hammered.
"What discrepancy?""
"I'm unable to disclose the full details without additional verification, but I can tell you that your signature appears on a document that was flagged for review.""
I closed my eyes.
Someone had signed my name.
"Was that document submitted electronically?""
"Yes, ma'am.""
"Can you freeze the application?""
"We can place a temporary security hold while we investigate the disputed authorization.""
"Please do that.""
Daniel gave me a reference number.
I wrote it on the back of a receipt.
Then I ended the call.
Rebecca sat beside me.
"Are you okay?""
I shook my head.
"No. But I think I'm finally understanding how much he lied.""
Michael crouched in front of the stroller.
"Emily, I want you to know something. The company has records that may help establish when Tyler accessed the relevant accounts and documents.""
"Why would the company have those?""
"Because some of the transactions involved his employee expense account. We started reviewing them after discrepancies appeared.""
I looked at him.
"How long have you known?""
"About three weeks.""
"Three weeks?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"We didn't know about your situation until yesterday. I promise you that.""
I nodded, though I wasn't sure I believed him completely.
My phone rang.
Tyler.
I watched his name flash across the screen.
I didn't answer.
He called again.
Then a third time.
Finally, a voicemail appeared.
I pressed play.
"Emily, pick up the phone. This is getting out of control. I don't know what Michael told you, but that house is our property.
I made some decisions because I was trying to protect our future. Don't do anything stupid.""
I stared at the phone.
Then came another voicemail.
His voice was different now.
Quieter.
"Emily, please. I need you to understand. Vanessa knows things about the house.
She has documents. If you start digging into everything, you're going to make this much worse.""
I replayed that sentence.
Vanessa knows things about the house.
Why would she?
Rebecca heard it too.
She looked at Michael.
"That doesn't sound like a normal affair.""
"No," Michael replied.
"It doesn't.""
I stood up, carefully adjusting Piper's blanket.
"I want to go home.""
Michael arranged for a driver to take us to the airport hotel while I sorted out the twins' travel arrangements.
Before we left, Rebecca handed me her phone number.
"If you need someone who understands what it's like to be lied to by the same man, call me.""
I managed a small smile.
"Thank you.""
She hugged me gently.
Then she whispered something that made my blood run cold.
"Emily, I checked something before coming here. Vanessa wasn't just a passenger on that ship.""
I pulled back.
"What do you mean?""
Rebecca looked toward Michael.
He nodded.
"She had temporary administrative access to certain employee records. Including personnel files and travel documentation.""
"Why would she need access to those?""
Rebecca hesitated.
"Because she was looking for information about employees with valuable financial assets.""
I felt Piper move against my chest.
"Are you saying she targeted Tyler?""
"Possibly," Rebecca answered.
"But there's something else.""
She opened her phone and showed me a photograph.
It was a screenshot of an email exchange between Vanessa and Tyler.
The date was two months before my daughters were born.
Tyler had written:
Once Emily signs the final papers, everything will be settled. She won't suspect anything until we're already gone.
Vanessa's response was only one sentence.
And what about the twins?
Tyler replied:
They won't be my problem.
I stopped breathing.
For a moment, the terminal, the people, the announcements—all of it disappeared.
My husband hadn't simply cheated.
He had been planning to leave us.
I looked at my sleeping daughters.
Then I looked at the final message in the screenshot.
It had been sent by Vanessa just eleven minutes before Tyler boarded the ship that morning.
Don't worry. I already have the original deed.
And beneath it was a photograph of a document bearing my signature.
May you like
Except I had never signed it.
*Someone had stolen my identity. And the woman who kissed my husband at the cruise terminal might have been holding the key to everything he had tried to take from me.*
