Chapter 4: The Company With My Name
For several seconds, I couldn't make sense of the words printed at the bottom of the survey.
Lauren Mitchell.
My name appeared beneath the company registration number, beside a title identifying me as the sole managing member.
I had never formed that company.
I had never authorized anyone to form it for me.
And I certainly hadn't agreed to transfer part of my property into its name.
"Daniel," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady, "where did you get this document?""
"From the title company's preliminary closing package. The buyer requested a survey before finalizing the purchase. When my team noticed the proposed transfer, they checked the business registration.""
He tapped the paper.
"Your name appeared as the owner.""
Marcus reached for the survey.
"That's enough. This is a private business matter.""
Daniel pulled the document away.
"Then you shouldn't have involved someone else's property.""
Marcus's jaw tightened. He looked at me, and for the first time that afternoon, I saw genuine fear behind his anger.
"Lauren, please. Let me explain everything inside.""
I almost followed him.
That was the humiliating part.
Even after the affair, the forged signature, and the secret marriage, some stubborn piece of my heart still wanted to believe there was a reasonable explanation. Five years didn't disappear because a man had revealed himself to be a stranger.
But I remembered the ring on his finger.
I remembered Brianna's legs wrapped around his waist in my pool.
"No," I said.
"You can explain it right here.""
Marcus glanced at Daniel.
"You don't know how complicated our finances have become.""
"Then simplify them," Daniel replied.
"Start with the company.""
Marcus rubbed his face.
"It was an investment vehicle. Lauren and I discussed creating one months ago.""
I stared at him.
"We discussed hiring an accountant to organize our household expenses. We never discussed creating a company.""
"You said you wanted to protect your investments.""
"I said I wanted to protect my savings.""
"That's what I was doing!""
His voice rose so sharply that Brianna stepped back.
I folded my arms.
"How does registering a company in my name protect me if I don't know it exists?""
Marcus opened his mouth, but no answer came.
Daniel took out his phone.
"My legal team found the registration earlier today. The filing includes a mailing address connected to Marcus's office and an electronic signature attributed to Lauren.""
I felt the patio tilt beneath my feet.
"An electronic signature?""
"Yes.""
"I never signed anything.""
"I believe you," Daniel said.
"But we need to establish how your information was used.""
Marcus gave a bitter laugh.
"Of course you believe her. She's standing here crying, and I'm the convenient villain.""
"I'm not crying," I said.
He looked at my face.
I wasn't.
Somehow, that seemed to frighten him more.
Daniel folded the survey and returned it to his folder.
"Lauren, do you have copies of your property deed and mortgage documents?""
"At home. In the office safe.""
Marcus immediately shook his head.
"The safe contains confidential financial records.""
"My records.""
"Our records," he snapped.
I took a step toward him.
"Then you won't mind opening it.""
He hesitated.
It was only a second, but I saw it.
Daniel saw it too.
"That's interesting," he said.
Marcus pointed at him.
"Stay out of this.""
"I intend to. Once my company's money and my wife's involvement in your transactions are accounted for.""
Brianna began twisting the edge of her towel.
"Marcus, you told me the company was just for the property sale.""
He spun toward her.
"Not now.""
"You said the money would be transferred before Monday. You said everything was already arranged.""
Daniel slowly turned to his wife.
"What money?""
Brianna's lips parted.
She looked at Marcus, silently begging him to intervene.
He didn't.
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Brianna, what money are you talking about?""
"I don't know all the details.""
"Try.""
She swallowed.
"Marcus said the buyer was paying a deposit. He told me it would go through a separate company, and that after the closing, we could finally move somewhere together.""
I stared at her.
"You were planning to move into another house with him?""
She flinched.
"He said you two were separating.""
"And the money?""
"I thought it was his.""
Daniel's expression became frighteningly calm.
"How much?""
Brianna shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Marcus stepped between them.
"She doesn't understand the business.""
"Then help her understand," Daniel said.
"Enough!""
Marcus kicked a patio chair so hard it toppled onto its side. The sharp crash echoed across the backyard.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then I noticed the side door to the house standing open.
Beyond it lay Marcus's office.
The office where he kept his locked filing cabinet, his business laptop, and the papers he insisted I never needed to see.
I walked toward it.
"Lauren," Marcus called.
I kept moving.
"Lauren, stop.""
I crossed the threshold.
His office smelled of leather, coffee, and the cedarwood candle he burned whenever important clients visited. A large desk faced the windows. Behind it stood a bookshelf filled with business awards and framed photographs of Marcus shaking hands with men whose names appeared in financial magazines.
On the desk sat a black laptop.
Beside it was a thick envelope marked *PROPERTY—FINAL CLOSING*.
I reached for it.
Marcus appeared in the doorway.
"Don't touch that.""
I froze.
Then I turned slowly.
"Why?""
"It's confidential.""
"Everything about my life seems to be confidential lately.""
He stepped into the room and positioned himself between me and the desk.
"Lauren, I'm trying to protect you.""
"From what?""
His eyes darted toward the envelope.
I followed his gaze.
The envelope had already been opened. Inside, I could see the corner of a document bearing the logo of a title company.
And beneath it lay a photograph.
I pulled it free before Marcus could stop me.
It showed the mansion from the street, taken from across the driveway.
Someone had circled the house in red ink.
On the back, in handwriting I didn't recognize, were six words:
*She must not find the second deed.*
I looked up.
Marcus had gone completely still.
"What second deed?"" I asked.
He reached for the photograph.
I stepped away.
"Marcus, what second deed?""
He didn't answer.
Instead, he lunged toward the desk and snatched the envelope.
But it was too late.
I had already seen the final page inside.
A document bearing my name, a notarization stamp, and a date from four months earlier.
A date when I had been out of state.
And beside the notary's seal was a signature confirming that I had personally appeared before the notary and approved the transfer.
I stared at Marcus.
"You didn't just forge my signature.""
His face had lost all its color.
"You forged an entire transaction.""
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number had sent me a photograph of the same document.
May you like
Beneath it was a message.
*Ask Marcus what happened to the original owner of this property.*
