Chapter 2: The Signature That Wasn’t Mine
The officer picked up the document before I could.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
The backyard that had been filled with laughter was now silent except for the sound of Frederick crying in Amy’s arms.
The officer looked at the page.
Then at me.
“Mr. Hayes, do you know what this is?””
I stared at the paper.
“I have no idea.””
My mother suddenly stepped forward.
“That’s private family business.””
The officer looked at her.
“Ma’am, we’re investigating a disturbance. If documents are involved, we need to understand what’s happening.””
Teresa crossed her arms.
“You’re making a mistake.””
I looked at Mason.
My cousin avoided my eyes.
“Mason,” I said slowly.
“Why do you have my property deed?””
He swallowed.
“I was just holding it.””
“For who?””
Nobody answered.
My mother’s expression changed.
That was when I knew.
She wasn’t surprised.
She was scared.
The officer unfolded another page.
“Mr. Hayes, can you confirm this signature?””
He pointed to the bottom.
My signature.
My name.
My handwriting.
Almost.
I stepped closer.
“That’s supposed to be mine?””
The officer nodded.
“Yes.””
I shook my head.
“No. I never signed that.””
My mother immediately interrupted.
“Connor, you don’t remember every document you sign.””
I looked at her.
“Yes, I do.””
My voice became colder.
“Especially documents involving my house.””
Amy stood beside me, holding Frederick.
She looked confused.
“What is happening?””
I wished I had an answer.
I had bought this house five years earlier.
Before marriage.
Before children.
Before my mother started talking about “family assets.””
It was the first thing I owned that truly felt like mine.
My father had passed away when I was young.
My mother raised me alone.
That history made me loyal.
Maybe too loyal.
I always felt like I owed her.
But standing there, looking at that fake signature, I wondered how long she had been using that loyalty against me.
The officer pointed at Mason.
“Where did you get these papers?””
Mason looked at Teresa.
She shook her head slightly.
A warning.
But he was already trapped.
“I got them from her office.””
My mother’s face turned red.
“Mason.””
He looked down.
“I’m sorry.””
I stepped forward.
“My mother’s office?””
Nobody moved.
The officer asked, “Mrs. Hayes, what exactly were you planning to do with these documents?””
Teresa laughed nervously.
“Nothing.””
“That doesn’t look like nothing,” I said.
She looked at me with a familiar expression.
The same expression she used when I was a child and disappointed her.
The look that said I was betraying her.
“You’re really choosing her over your mother?””
I looked at Amy.
My wife.
The woman sitting on a plastic stool while everyone celebrated outside.
The woman who was afraid to leave a kitchen because she didn’t want to upset someone.
“Yes,” I said.
Teresa’s mouth opened.
“What?””
“I’m choosing my family.””
The silence after that was painful.
My mother lowered her voice.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.””
“Actually, I do.””
I pointed at the papers.
“I’m trying to figure out why my cousin has a fake deed with my signature.””
Mason looked miserable.
“I didn’t make it.””
“Then who did?””
His eyes moved toward Teresa.
That was enough.
The officer asked my mother to step aside while they reviewed the documents.
Amy pulled me away.
“Connor.””
I looked at her.
Her eyes were full of tears.
“I should have told you.””
I frowned.
“Told me what?””
She looked toward the house.
“Your mother has been saying things for months.””
My chest tightened.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
She wiped her face.
“Because every time I tried, she would say I was trying to separate you from your family.””
I felt sick.
“She said that?””
Amy nodded.
“She told me you would always believe her.””
Those words hurt because they were true.
For a long time, I probably would have.
Until today.
The officers eventually allowed us to leave while they investigated the documents.
Before we drove away, my mother shouted from the porch.
“Connor! You’re making a huge mistake!””
I didn’t answer.
But as I started the car, my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then I saw the message.
*You need to check your bank account before your mother moves the rest.*
My hands tightened around the phone.
Amy noticed my face.
“What is it?””
I opened my banking app.
And my heart dropped.
Because there was a withdrawal I never made.
A transfer from our joint savings account.
The amount was exactly the same as my mother had asked for every month.
Three thousand dollars.
Except this time, the money wasn’t going to groceries.
It was going somewhere else.
May you like
And underneath the transaction was a note.
*House preparation fees.*
