Chapter 6
I sat beside my mother's hospital bed, trying to understand what she had just told me.
Vanessa had brought legal papers into her bedroom.
She had threatened her housing.
And she had persuaded her to sign documents involving the home Mom had owned for decades.
I felt sick.
"Mom, where are those papers?"
She shook her head.
"Vanessa took them."
"Did you get copies?"
"No."
"Did anyone witness your signature?"
She hesitated.
"There was a woman."
My chest tightened.
"What woman?"
"She came to the house with Vanessa."
"Do you remember her name?"
Mom thought carefully.
"Linda, maybe."
I immediately called Daniel.
He answered on the second ring.
"Marcus?"
"My mother signed papers involving her house."
His voice sharpened.
"What papers?"
"We don't know."
I explained everything.
Daniel asked whether Mom had understood what she was signing.
I looked at her.
"Mom, did Vanessa explain the documents?"
"She said it was insurance."
"Did she mention selling or transferring the house?"
"No."
I repeated her answer.
Daniel became quiet.
"We need to examine the county records immediately."
I stared at my mother.
"Could Vanessa take Mom's house?"
"Not through a valid transfer without the required legal steps. But if documents were obtained by deception, we need to act quickly."
I nodded.
"Please check."
After the call, I sat beside Mom again.
She looked ashamed.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
I took her hand.
"You have nothing to apologize for."
"I should have read the papers."
"You were threatened in your own home."
She began crying.
"I thought if I refused, she'd make you send me away."
I leaned forward.
"Mom, listen carefully."
She looked at me.
"You are never going to be homeless because of Vanessa."
She nodded.
"And nobody is taking your house without a fight."
Her lips trembled.
"Promise?"
"I promise I'll do everything the law allows to protect you."
I stayed until she fell asleep.
Then I stepped into the hallway.
Renee was waiting.
She looked exhausted.
"How is she?"
"Resting."
Renee crossed her arms.
"Marcus, you need to get Vanessa out of your life."
I looked down.
"I know."
"Do you?"
I raised my eyes.
"Renee."
She shook her head.
"I'm sorry. But Mom could have died."
I felt the words strike me.
"Don't say that."
"Then stop protecting your marriage."
I took a breath.
"I'm not protecting it."
She stared at me.
"I'm trying to protect Mom and make sure Vanessa can't destroy the evidence."
Renee's expression softened.
"I'm scared."
"So am I."
We stood together.
Then she hugged me.
"I know you loved her."
I closed my eyes.
"Yes."
"That doesn't make you responsible for who she turned out to be."
I held my sister tightly.
For the first time in days, I felt less alone.
The following morning, Daniel called.
"Marcus, we have a serious problem."
I closed my eyes.
"What now?"
"Your mother's property has a pending transfer recorded."
My stomach dropped.
"To whom?"
"A company called Silver Crest Holdings."
I stood so quickly that my chair fell backward.
"That's Adrian's company."
"It appears connected to him."
I gripped the phone.
"How much?"
"The transfer documents list a consideration amount far below the property's estimated market value."
I stared at the wall.
Mom's house was worth approximately three hundred thousand dollars.
She had no mortgage.
She had spent forty years caring for it.
And Vanessa was trying to take it.
"What can we do?"
"I'm filing an emergency challenge and contacting the relevant authorities. We also need your mother to provide a statement when she's medically able."
I nodded.
"Do whatever is necessary."
"Marcus, there's something else."
My chest tightened.
"What?"
"The document includes a notarization by Linda Mercer."
I remembered Mom mentioning Linda.
"Who is she?"
"An associate connected to Harrison Property Transfer Services."
I closed my eyes.
"Of course."
Daniel continued.
"We're looking into whether she was properly commissioned and whether the transaction complied with legal requirements."
I thanked him.
Then I called Detective Reed.
She asked for copies of everything.
I sent them immediately.
By afternoon, investigators had begun examining the property records and financial accounts.
I returned to my house that evening.
Vanessa was waiting in the living room.
She stood when I entered.
"Where have you been?"
"At the hospital."
Her expression changed.
"Hospital?"
"Mom collapsed."
She looked surprised.
"Is she okay?"
I stared at her.
"Do you care?"
She frowned.
"Of course I care."
I said nothing.
She stepped closer.
"Marcus, I'm sorry about yesterday."
I looked at her.
"Are you?"
"Yes."
"Then tell me about the papers you made Mom sign."
Her face went pale.
"What papers?"
I took another step forward.
"The ones involving her house."
Vanessa looked toward the hallway.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
I pulled out my phone.
"Silver Crest Holdings."
She froze.
I watched her carefully.
"Does that sound familiar?"
She swallowed.
"Marcus..."
"Did you try to transfer my mother's property?"
Her eyes filled with sudden tears.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this."
I felt cold.
"What wasn't?"
She covered her face.
"Adrian said it was just paperwork."
I stared at her.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"He told me we could use the properties as collateral for a development project."
"Properties?"
She looked up.
"Our house and your mother's."
My heart pounded.
"You knew."
She began crying harder.
"Marcus, I made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"I thought we'd make money."
"You threatened my mother!"
"I didn't mean to hurt her."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You made her scrub floors until her knees swelled."
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"I was stressed."
I stared at her.
"Stress doesn't make someone cruel."
She stepped toward me.
"Please. We can fix this."
I moved away.
"No."
Her expression hardened.
"So that's it?"
I looked directly at her.
"Yes."
She laughed bitterly.
"You're throwing away our marriage because of your mother?"
I shook my head.
"I'm ending this because you abused someone who trusted us, deceived me, and helped put both our homes at risk."
Vanessa stared at me.
Then her face changed.
The tears stopped.
"You have no idea what you're doing."
I felt a chill.
"What does that mean?"
She grabbed her phone.
"Adrian isn't going to let you ruin everything."
I stood still.
"Then Adrian can speak to my lawyer."
She laughed.
"You think lawyers can save you?"
I reached for my phone.
"I'm calling the police."
Vanessa stepped back.
Suddenly, she looked frightened.
"Marcus, don't."
But I was already dialing.
Before the call connected, her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Adrian.
She answered.
I heard his voice.
"Did he sign?"
Vanessa stared at me.
"No."
A long silence followed.
May you like
Then Adrian said something that made her face go completely white.
"Then tell him what happens to his mother if he keeps interfering."
