Chapter 5
The next morning, Rachel showed me a promotional brochure.
I stared at the cover.
Evelyn Heritage Events.
Luxury Celebrations. Exceptional Experiences.
The brochure featured photographs of elegant ballrooms, designer tables, and expensive floral arrangements.
I recognized the photographs immediately.
They were mine.
Every single one.
Projects my company had completed over the past five years.
A hotel lobby in Buckhead.
A wedding venue in Savannah.
A private estate near Lake Lanier.
All presented as work belonging to Evelyn's new company.
My stomach twisted.
Then I saw the final page.
Strategic Design Partner: Nia Williams Design Group.
I stared at Rachel.
"They used my company name."
She nodded.
"Without permission?"
"Absolutely."
Rachel turned another page.
There was a photograph of me.
An old professional headshot.
Below it was a description calling me the creative director of Evelyn Heritage Events.
I couldn't speak.
They had used my name, face, reputation, and portfolio.
Without asking.
I felt a wave of humiliation.
How many potential clients had seen this?
How many investors believed I was involved?
How many people might blame me when the business failed?
Rachel remained calm.
"We'll demand that the false representations stop and preserve the evidence."
I nodded.
Then Olivia entered the room.
She carried another folder.
"Nia, I found something important."
I looked up.
She explained that Evelyn Heritage Events had registered a website six months earlier.
The website included a page for corporate partnerships.
Several businesses were listed.
Mine was featured prominently.
Then Olivia showed me an investor presentation.
The document claimed Evelyn Heritage Events had secured a two-year service agreement with Nia Williams Design Group.
My heart pounded.
"We never signed that."
Olivia nodded.
"I know."
Rachel examined the agreement.
The final page contained my signature.
Again.
The same strange curve.
The same imitation of my handwriting.
I stared at it.
"Someone forged another document."
Rachel nodded.
"We'll have the signatures examined."
Then Olivia revealed something worse.
According to the presentation, investors were being offered shares in a company supposedly backed by my business.
Evelyn and Vanessa had represented that Nia Williams Design Group would provide exclusive design services for their future events.
The agreement guaranteed minimum revenue.
Revenue my company had never promised.
I felt cold.
"How much money have they raised?"
Olivia hesitated.
"We don't know yet."
Rachel looked serious.
"We need to find out immediately."
We contacted the appropriate authorities and began notifying the parties we could identify.
I also instructed my communications team to prepare a factual statement clarifying that my company was not affiliated with Evelyn Heritage Events.
I didn't want to make public accusations before the evidence was reviewed.
But I couldn't allow people to keep investing based on false claims.
That afternoon, Marcus called.
I almost ignored him.
Then I answered.
"Nia?"
"What?"
His voice sounded strained.
"Mom wants to speak with you."
I closed my eyes.
"No."
"She says she can explain."
"She can explain to my attorney."
Marcus hesitated.
"Nia, she's scared."
I felt anger rise.
"Marcus, your mother used my company's identity to attract investors."
He was silent.
"She's not frightened because she hurt me."
I swallowed.
"She's frightened because she's being caught."
He didn't answer.
I continued.
"Have you seen the forged partnership agreement?"
"Yes."
My chest tightened.
"And you didn't tell me?"
He began crying.
"I didn't know she'd use it."
I stared at the wall.
"But you knew it existed."
Silence.
That was answer enough.
"Marcus, I need you to stop contacting me on your mother's behalf."
His voice broke.
"Are you giving up on us?"
I closed my eyes.
"I'm trying to understand whether there is still an us."
He began sobbing.
I felt tears rise.
Despite everything, I still loved him.
That was the part nobody understood.
I couldn't simply switch off eleven years of marriage.
I remembered his kindness when my father died.
The nights he brought me food while I worked late.
The way he'd held me when our fertility treatments failed.
There had been real love between us.
But love couldn't survive indefinitely without honesty.
I took a breath.
"Marcus, if you want to repair our marriage, start telling the truth without waiting for me to discover it."
He whispered, "I will."
Then I ended the call.
That evening, I visited Angela.
She was cooking dinner.
When she saw my face, she turned off the stove.
"More bad news?"
I nodded.
I showed her the brochure.
She stared at my photograph.
Then she looked at me.
"They put you in their business without asking?"
"Yes."
Angela shook her head.
"Nia, this is unbelievable."
I sat at her kitchen table.
"I feel like my entire life has been copied and sold."
She sat beside me.
"Then fight for it."
I looked at her.
"I'm tired."
"I know."
She reached for my hand.
"But being tired doesn't mean you have to surrender."
Tears filled my eyes.
Angela continued.
"You built something beautiful. Don't let people who never respected your work define what happens next."
I nodded.
She smiled gently.
"And remember, you don't have to fight alone."
The next morning, I received a message from an unfamiliar number.
My name is Carolyn Price. I invested in Evelyn Heritage Events. We need to talk.
I forwarded it to Rachel.
She arranged a meeting.
Carolyn arrived at our office wearing a navy dress and carrying a folder.
She was in her fifties and owned a small chain of bridal boutiques.
She looked embarrassed.
"I believed your company was involved."
I nodded.
"You're not the only one."
She showed us her investment agreement.
She had contributed seventy-five thousand dollars.
In return, Evelyn Heritage Events promised a share of future profits.
The investor presentation included my photograph and portfolio.
Carolyn looked at me.
"I trusted the project because I knew your reputation."
My stomach tightened.
"I'm so sorry."
She shook her head.
"You didn't do this."
I looked away.
But I still felt responsible.
My name had been used to convince her.
Carolyn continued.
"I started getting worried when the company wouldn't provide proper financial statements."
Rachel leaned forward.
"What happened when you asked?"
"Vanessa told me they were preparing for a major launch."
I nodded.
That matched what Marcus had said.
Carolyn opened another folder.
"Then I discovered something strange."
She placed a document on the table.
It was a proposed property acquisition.
Evelyn Heritage Events planned to purchase a luxury event venue outside Atlanta.
The purchase price was nearly two million dollars.
I stared at the document.
"How can they afford that?"
Carolyn looked frightened.
"They claimed your company was guaranteeing part of the financing."
Rachel immediately leaned forward.
"Do you have the guarantee?"
Carolyn handed it to her.
My stomach dropped.
Another document.
Another signature.
My company name.
My personal name.
And a promise to guarantee a loan I had never approved.
I stared at the page.
Then I noticed something that made my hands go numb.
The guarantee included a property address.
My office building.
The building I'd purchased three years earlier.
I looked at Rachel.
"Why is my building listed here?"
She read the document carefully.
Her expression changed.
Then she whispered, "Nia, someone tried to use your business property as collateral."
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
May you like
My mother-in-law wasn't just trying to keep her own house.
She was trying to put mine at risk too.
