Chapter 4
I stared at Dad.
For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood.
"Steal from another family?"
He nodded slowly.
I felt sick.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Dad looked ashamed.
"Because I didn't recognize her at first."
I frowned.
He continued.
"She used a different surname back then."
I looked at the identification card again.
Vanessa had appeared at my baby shower wearing a lavender dress.
She brought an expensive silver rattle.
She hugged Evelyn warmly.
When I asked who she was, Evelyn said they were distant cousins.
I believed her.
Why wouldn't I?
Now I was learning that Vanessa had helped impersonate me to transfer property.
My hands began shaking.
"What happened ten years ago?"
Dad opened his laptop.
He searched for an old business file.
Then turned the screen toward me.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Evelyn standing beside Vanessa and an elderly Black couple.
The couple looked happy.
Behind them stood a large house.
Dad pointed toward the picture.
"These people were clients of a financial advisory company Evelyn worked with."
I swallowed.
"And?"
"They lost a substantial amount of money after signing documents they didn't understand."
My stomach tightened.
"Did Evelyn steal it?"
Dad answered carefully.
"There were allegations of fraud. The case ended in a civil settlement without a criminal conviction."
I stared.
"Then why was she allowed near our finances?"
Dad looked at me sadly.
"Because Marcus told me she had changed."
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Marcus had defended Evelyn from the beginning.
Whenever I questioned her behavior, he said people deserved second chances.
Whenever Dad expressed concern, Marcus accused him of judging his family.
And I believed my husband.
I wanted peace.
I wanted our marriage to work.
Now I wondered how much that desire had cost me.
Olivia continued.
"Vanessa's involvement gives us a clearer path to investigate the forged identification."
I nodded.
"What happens next?"
"We're preserving the records and referring the suspected fraud to the authorities."
I swallowed.
"And Marcus?"
Olivia looked at me.
"We still need to establish what he knew."
I looked toward the window.
The afternoon sun warmed the garden.
Birds moved through the trees.
Everything outside looked peaceful.
But inside, I felt as though my life had been turned upside down.
Later that evening, Marcus called.
I stared at the screen.
I didn't want to answer.
But part of me needed to hear his voice.
I pressed accept.
"Nia?"
He sounded exhausted.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then he whispered,
"How's Grace?"
I looked toward the bassinet.
"She's fine."
He exhaled.
"Thank God."
I waited.
Then he said,
"Can we talk?"
I closed my eyes.
"About what?"
"About us."
My chest tightened.
"Marcus, your mother tried to transfer my father's house."
He went silent.
I continued.
"She used a woman to impersonate me."
His breathing changed.
"What?"
I swallowed.
"Vanessa."
Another silence.
Then Marcus whispered,
"Vanessa?"
"Yes."
He sounded frightened.
"Nia, I didn't know."
I wanted to believe him.
But I had believed too many things already.
I took a breath.
"Did you sign documents giving your mother authority over Grace's assets?"
He hesitated.
My stomach dropped.
"Marcus."
He swallowed.
"Mom said it was routine."
I closed my eyes.
"Did you read them?"
"Not carefully."
I felt tears rise.
"Did you discuss them with me?"
"No."
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me.
There it was.
The problem.
Again.
Marcus had made decisions about our daughter without including me.
Then allowed his mother to control the details.
I lowered my voice.
"Why?"
He began crying.
"Because Mom said you'd overreact."
I felt something inside me break.
I looked at Grace.
She was sleeping peacefully.
I wondered whether Marcus understood how deeply he had betrayed us.
"Marcus, I'm not a child."
"I know."
"I'm your wife."
"I know."
"And Grace is our daughter."
His voice broke.
"I know."
I swallowed.
"Then why did you treat me like someone who didn't deserve to know?"
He couldn't answer.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he whispered,
"I'm sorry."
I closed my eyes.
I had wanted those words for months.
But hearing them now didn't fix anything.
"I need more than apologies."
He began crying harder.
"I know."
I took a breath.
"Then start by telling Olivia everything you signed."
He nodded.
"I will."
"And Marcus?"
"Yes?"
"Don't tell your mother what we're investigating."
He went quiet.
My stomach tightened.
"Can you do that?"
Finally, he whispered,
"Yes."
I ended the call.
Then I sat beside Grace.
For a long time, I watched her sleep.
I thought about how small she was.
How completely she depended on us.
And how badly Marcus had failed to understand what protecting her meant.
I kissed her forehead.
"I'm going to keep you safe."
The next morning, Olivia called with new information.
The title company had preserved records showing Vanessa arrived with Evelyn.
The forged identification had been submitted during the appointment.
The transaction was stopped before the property changed hands.
I felt relief.
But then Olivia continued.
"There's another concern."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"Someone attempted to open a credit account using your personal information."
I froze.
"My information?"
She nodded.
"The application was connected to Whitmore Residential Holdings."
My heart pounded.
"How much?"
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars."
I stared at the wall.
I felt sick.
Someone had tried to borrow a quarter of a million dollars using my identity.
While I was pregnant.
While I trusted them.
While I was preparing to become a mother.
I covered my face.
Olivia's voice softened.
"Nia, we're taking steps to protect your credit and accounts."
I nodded.
Then asked,
"Was the application approved?"
"No. It was flagged during verification."
I exhaled.
At least that money hadn't disappeared.
But the attempted fraud was becoming larger.
More deliberate.
More frightening.
Then Olivia said something unexpected.
"Marcus has provided documents."
I looked up.
"What documents?"
"Several authorizations he signed for Evelyn."
My stomach tightened.
"And?"
"Some contain information that doesn't match his explanations."
I stared.
"What kind of information?"
She hesitated.
"One document lists him as a director of Whitmore Residential Holdings."
My heart stopped.
"Marcus?"
"Yes."
I felt the room spin.
My husband had told me he didn't know anything about the company.
Now his name appeared as a director.
I swallowed.
"Does that prove he knew?"
"Not by itself. But we need to investigate."
I nodded.
Then Olivia continued.
"There's something else."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"One of the documents contains a handwritten note."
I stared.
"Whose handwriting?"
She took a breath.
"It appears to be Marcus's."
My heart pounded.
"What does it say?"
Olivia read the words slowly.
Once Nia signs, Mom can proceed.
I covered my mouth.
For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.
My husband hadn't merely trusted Evelyn.
May you like
He might have been waiting for me to sign.
And suddenly, I wondered whether the man who threw me out had known exactly what he was doing all along.
