Chapter 9: The Boyfriend's Confession
The room fell silent.
Brianna looked as though someone had slapped her.
"You what?""
Tyler stood beside the fireplace, his phone still in his hand.
"I picked up the notary seal.""
Marcus rushed toward him.
"You stupid idiot!""
One of the officers immediately stepped between them.
"Sir, stay where you are.""
Tyler raised both hands.
"I'm not hiding anything anymore.""
Robert pulled out a chair.
"Tyler, sit down. Tell us exactly what happened.""
Tyler hesitated.
Then he sat.
Brianna began shaking her head.
"Don't listen to him. He's trying to get himself out of trouble.""
Tyler looked at her.
"You told me everything was legitimate.""
"It was supposed to be!""
"How can something be legitimate when you practice someone's signature?""
Brianna looked away.
The officer asked Tyler to explain the notary seal.
He took a breath.
"About three weeks ago, Brianna asked me to drive her to Elaine Porter's office. She said her father needed some documents notarized urgently.""
Robert leaned forward.
"Did you meet Ms. Porter?""
"No. Brianna went inside alone.""
"And?""
"She came back with a small envelope. She said Elaine had given her the seal because they were friends.""
Brianna immediately interrupted.
"That's not what happened!""
Tyler continued.
"I didn't think much about it until Marcus started asking me to help with the property paperwork.""
I looked at him.
"What did you do with the seal?""
"I kept it in my apartment.""
"Why?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Brianna said her father needed it.""
Robert exchanged a glance with the officer.
"Did you use it yourself?""
Tyler nodded.
"On the declaration.""
Brianna covered her face.
The officer began writing again.
I felt a strange emptiness inside me.
This wasn't some misunderstanding.
They had built a chain of lies, each person taking another step until the entire thing had become something much bigger than a birthday party.
"Why?"" I asked Tyler.
He looked at me.
"Because Marcus promised us money.""
"How much?""
"Twenty-five thousand each.""
Brianna started crying.
"Tyler, please.""
He continued.
"Marcus said that once the loan was approved, he would give us the money to launch our business. He also said Brianna would eventually get a share of the house.""
I turned toward Marcus.
"Is that why you told her she deserved ownership?""
Marcus didn't respond.
Robert asked Tyler another question.
"Did you know the declaration contained false information?""
Tyler looked down.
"I knew the signature wasn't Vanessa's. I knew the notary hadn't witnessed it.""
Brianna whispered, "You said you didn't care.""
Tyler shook his head.
"I didn't. Not until I saw the photograph of Vanessa outside the bank.""
I frowned.
"What photograph?""
He unlocked his phone again.
"Marcus asked me to take pictures of you.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Why?""
"He wanted to know when you were away from home. He said you kept your important documents in your study, and they needed to get them before the buyer's inspection.""
Robert leaned forward.
"Did you photograph her on multiple occasions?""
Tyler nodded.
He showed the officer a folder containing several images.
Me leaving the grocery store.
Me walking into a pharmacy.
Me getting into my car outside a shopping center.
One photograph showed me standing beside my mother's old car.
I felt sick.
For weeks, someone had been watching my movements.
And I'd never noticed.
"Did Marcus tell you to do this?"" I asked.
Tyler nodded.
"Yes.""
Brianna suddenly stood.
"You're acting like you had nothing to do with it!""
Tyler looked at her.
"I did have something to do with it. That's why I'm telling the truth.""
She pointed at him.
"You wanted the money just as much as I did!""
"I did. And I was wrong.""
The officer raised his hand.
"Miss Williams, sit down.""
Brianna slowly lowered herself into a chair.
Robert took a deep breath.
"Tyler, is there anything else involving the property that we should know?""
Tyler hesitated.
Then he opened another message thread.
"I think you need to see this.""
He handed the phone to the officer.
The conversation was between Marcus and someone saved as Daniel Carter.
One message read:
The bank application is just the first step. Once the property claim is registered, the buyer can proceed with the private agreement.
Another message came from Daniel.
And what about the wife?
Marcus had replied:
She won't be an obstacle much longer.
My hands began trembling.
Robert read the messages over the officer's shoulder.
"There's a private agreement?""
Tyler nodded.
"Marcus said Daniel was going to pay him a large amount once the house was transferred.""
"How much?""
Tyler looked at Marcus.
"One million four hundred thousand dollars.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
My house was worth considerably more than that.
They had planned to use forged documents, an unauthorized loan, and a fraudulent property claim to push me out of a home I had purchased with my parents' inheritance.
And Marcus expected to walk away with over a million dollars.
I looked at him.
"Was our marriage worth that much to you?""
He stared at me.
"Vanessa, I never wanted to hurt you.""
"Then what did you want?""
He finally broke.
"I was drowning. I had creditors calling every day. Brianna needed money. I thought I could fix everything before you found out.""
"You thought you could sell my house and give me nothing?""
"I was going to make sure you were taken care of.""
I shook my head.
"By whom? The man buying my home?""
Marcus lowered his face.
The officer stepped closer.
"Mr. Williams, we'll need you to accompany us to answer additional questions.""
Brianna stood immediately.
"Dad!""
Marcus looked at her.
For a second, I thought he might finally take responsibility.
Instead, he pointed at Tyler.
"He organized the documents! He's the one who handled the bank submission!""
Tyler jumped up.
"That's a lie! You gave me the paperwork!""
The officer raised his voice.
"Both of you, calm down.""
Robert moved beside me.
"Vanessa, let's step away from this conversation.""
I nodded.
As the officers began separating everyone, Brianna suddenly rushed toward me.
"Please! You have to help Dad!""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because he's your husband!""
I stared at her for several seconds.
"And what was I to you when you threw me out of my own house?""
She began crying.
I turned away.
Then Tyler spoke again.
"Vanessa, there's one more thing.""
I stopped.
"What?""
He looked toward Marcus.
"Daniel isn't the only person involved.""
Robert frowned.
"Who else?""
Tyler opened a final photograph.
It showed Marcus standing outside a bank with another woman.
A woman in a dark blue coat.
I recognized her immediately.
My sister-in-law, Patricia.
Marcus's older sister.
The woman who had attended our wedding, eaten at our Christmas table, and called me family for six years.
I stared at the photograph.
"Why is Patricia involved?""
Tyler swallowed.
"Because she was the one who introduced Marcus to Daniel.""
Robert took the phone and enlarged the image.
Then he noticed something in Patricia's hand.
A blue folder.
The same folder I had seen in my study the previous month.
The folder containing my late parents' estate documents.
Robert looked at me.
"Vanessa, do you know whether Patricia had access to your original inheritance records?""
Before I could answer, Marcus suddenly shouted from across the room.
"Don't let her call Patricia!""
Everyone turned.
The officer asked, "Why not?""
Marcus looked terrified.
May you like
Then he said something that made my entire body go cold.
"Because Patricia has the original documents—and she already has a buyer waiting for the house.""
