Chapter 3: The Woman Behind the Money
"Who is Emily?""
My voice was barely above a whisper.
Daniel reached for my phone.
"Give me that.""
I pulled it against my chest.
"Who is she?""
"She's nobody.""
Robert stood so quickly that his chair struck the wall.
"Daniel, I suggest you stop talking before you make this worse.""
Daniel turned toward his father.
"Why are you doing this? It's my marriage!""
Robert's expression hardened.
"Then perhaps you should have remembered that before using your wife's identity to purchase property.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"I'm leaving.""
"Sit down," Robert ordered.
She froze.
For years, Vanessa had treated Robert's quiet personality as weakness. But tonight, his voice carried the authority of a man who had finally run out of patience.
I opened the message again.
"Emily, who are you?"" I typed.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Then a reply arrived.
I work for Mr. Collins, the attorney handling the Franklin property. I have documents that need to be brought to your attention. Your husband told us you had authorized the transaction.
I looked at Daniel.
"You told your attorney I approved this?""
He rubbed his face.
"Sarah, I can explain everything.""
"Then explain.""
He glanced around the table.
"Not here.""
"Why? Are you afraid someone might hear the truth?""
Patricia began crying quietly.
"Daniel, what have you done?""
He snapped at her.
"Mom, stay out of this!""
Robert slammed his palm against the table.
"Don't speak to your mother that way.""
I stood up.
My legs were trembling, but I refused to let anyone see me sit back down.
"Emily says there's another woman involved.""
Daniel went completely still.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
That was when I understood.
This wasn't simply about money.
It was about something they had all known except me.
I turned toward my sister-in-law.
"Vanessa, who is she?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Ask your husband.""
"I am asking you.""
She swallowed.
"Her name is Lauren.""
The name meant nothing to me.
Daniel immediately interrupted.
"Vanessa, shut up.""
Robert looked at his son.
"Who is Lauren?""
Nobody answered.
Then Michael, Daniel's younger brother, slowly put his wineglass down.
"Wait. Lauren? The woman from the apartment in Brentwood?""
Daniel spun toward him.
"Michael, don't.""
Michael looked confused.
"I thought everyone knew.""
Patricia covered her mouth.
I felt as though the room had tilted.
"What apartment?""
Michael hesitated.
"Daniel told us he was helping a friend with rent.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"Michael, stop talking!""
But Michael continued.
"I've seen them together. He said she was helping him with a business project.""
I turned to Daniel.
"How long?""
He said nothing.
"How long have you been seeing her?""
His eyes moved around the table, searching for someone willing to rescue him.
Nobody did.
Finally, he muttered, "About eight months.""
Eight months.
Eight months of shared breakfasts, anniversary dinners, and whispered promises that we'd build a better future together.
Eight months of him coming home late and telling me he was working.
Eight months of money disappearing from our accounts.
I remembered the weekend he'd insisted on visiting his mother alone. The business conferences that had appeared suddenly on his calendar. The new cologne he started wearing.
Every little detail rearranged itself in my mind.
"Does she know you're married?""
Daniel looked down.
I laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
"Of course she does.""
He stepped toward me.
"Sarah, I never intended for you to find out this way.""
"How did you intend for me to find out? After you sold my mother's house?""
"That's not fair.""
"Not fair?""
My voice cracked.
"You stole from my savings, forged my signature, planned to buy a house with your sister, and apparently used my mother's inheritance to support another relationship. What part of that is supposed to be fair?""
Vanessa suddenly began crying.
"We were going to pay you back.""
I turned toward her.
"With what?""
She didn't answer.
Robert reached inside his jacket again.
This time, he pulled out a thick folder.
"I think Sarah needs to see everything.""
Daniel's face changed.
"Dad, no.""
Robert ignored him.
"Yesterday, I visited the bank after discovering the transfer request. I asked them to investigate the suspicious transactions.""
He opened the folder.
"There was another problem.""
He handed me a printed report.
The first page listed the transfers to Vanessa.
The next page showed payments to the real estate attorney.
Then I saw several smaller transactions.
$2,400.
$3,100.
$1,850.
All marked with the same reference.
A luxury apartment complex in Brentwood.
My hands began shaking again.
"These are the payments for Lauren's apartment?""
Robert nodded.
"According to the records, yes.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Those payments were temporary.""
I stared at him.
"Using my money?""
He said nothing.
Then Robert placed one last document on the table.
"This is why I asked everyone to stay.""
It was a notarized statement from the bank.
At the bottom was a handwritten note.
Robert pointed to it.
"There's something you should know about the $85,000 authorization. Daniel didn't simply request a transfer.""
He paused.
"He also submitted a document claiming Sarah had given him full financial power of attorney.""
I stared at the page.
My signature appeared again.
Another forgery.
But beneath it was the name of the witness.
I looked closer.
Then I turned slowly toward Vanessa.
Her name was printed there.
She had signed the document.
"Vanessa," I whispered.
"You witnessed this?""
She began sobbing.
Daniel grabbed the folder.
"That's enough!""
Robert held it firmly.
"No. We haven't reached the worst part.""
He pulled a photograph from the back pocket.
It showed Daniel standing outside a house with a woman in a red coat.
Her arm was wrapped around his waist.
Behind them was a real estate sign.
I recognized the address.
It wasn't the Franklin property.
It wasn't my mother's house.
It was another property entirely.
Robert placed the photograph in front of me.
"Sarah, I think you should ask your husband why he has already purchased a house with Lauren.""
Daniel's face turned completely white.
And then Robert revealed the name on the deed.
It wasn't Daniel Mitchell.
It wasn't Lauren's name, either.
May you like
It was the name of someone sitting at our table.
Vanessa.
