Chapter 4
I sat across from Vanessa for several seconds.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, I asked, “What money?”
She looked toward the staircase.
Then back at me.
“Marcus, you don't understand our finances.”
I frowned.
“Our finances?”
She sighed.
“Your construction company has been growing. Our expenses have increased. We need more security.”
I stared at her.
“Then we discuss a budget.”
She shook her head.
“It's not that simple.”
My stomach tightened.
“What have you done?”
Her eyes flashed.
“Why do you always assume I've done something wrong?”
“Because you just told me my mother has money we need.”
Vanessa stood.
“I'm tired of this conversation.”
I stood too.
“Then answer one question.”
She stopped.
“Did you apply for a loan using Mom's house?”
Silence.
Her face changed.
For a moment, I thought she might tell me the truth.
Instead, she whispered, “I had a plan.”
My heart dropped.
“What plan?”
She looked away.
“To help us.”
I took a slow breath.
“Vanessa, did you use my mother's property as collateral?”
Her lips trembled.
“I was going to explain.”
I stared at her.
“When?”
“When everything worked out.”
My chest tightened.
“What does that mean?”
She began pacing.
“I found an investment opportunity.”
I felt cold.
“What investment?”
“A real-estate development.”
I frowned.
“Where?”
“Outside Atlanta.”
I stared at her.
“Who's involved?”
She hesitated.
Then whispered a name.
“Daniel Price.”
My stomach dropped.
Daniel Price.
A real-estate developer I'd refused to work with two years earlier.
He had a reputation for risky projects.
Several contractors had complained about unpaid invoices.
And I'd warned Vanessa to stay away from his business ventures.
I stared at her.
“You invested with Daniel?”
She nodded.
I closed my eyes.
“How much?”
She didn't answer.
“Vanessa.”
Her voice became small.
“Three hundred thousand.”
I froze.
Three hundred thousand dollars.
My heart pounded.
“Where did you get that money?”
She looked away.
I stepped closer.
“Vanessa, where?”
She began crying.
“From our savings.”
I stared at her.
“Our joint savings?”
She nodded.
I felt sick.
Those savings included money reserved for future business expansion.
Emergency expenses.
And our long-term plans.
I had trusted Vanessa to help manage certain household accounts.
But I hadn't authorized a three-hundred-thousand-dollar investment.
I sat down slowly.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She began crying harder.
“Because you would've said no.”
I looked at her.
“Yes.”
My voice broke.
“I would've said no.”
She wiped her cheeks.
“Daniel promised the money would double.”
I shook my head.
“Vanessa…”
“He said the project was almost approved.”
I stared at her.
“Did you verify anything?”
She looked down.
Silence.
My stomach tightened.
“What happened to the money?”
She began trembling.
“The project stalled.”
I closed my eyes.
“And?”
“He needed more funding.”
I looked up.
“How much?”
She swallowed.
“Another two hundred thousand.”
My heart pounded.
“So you tried to use Mom's house?”
Vanessa began crying.
“I thought if I could secure the loan, we'd recover everything.”
I stared at her.
“You tried to put my mother's home at risk to cover an investment you made without telling me.”
She shook her head.
“I was trying to fix it!”
I felt rage rise.
But I kept my voice steady.
“By hiding another financial decision?”
She covered her face.
I stood.
“I need to review the accounts.”
Vanessa looked frightened.
“Marcus…”
“Tonight.”
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
I went into my office.
Opened the financial records.
And discovered that the situation was worse than she'd admitted.
The three-hundred-thousand-dollar transfer was there.
But so were several smaller payments.
Twenty-five thousand.
Forty thousand.
Fifteen thousand.
All sent to companies connected to Daniel Price.
I added the amounts.
My stomach dropped.
Nearly four hundred thousand dollars had left our accounts.
I stared at the screen.
Then I noticed another transaction.
A proposed loan application.
The collateral address was my mother's house.
The borrower information included Evelyn's name.
And the supporting documents appeared to contain her signature.
My hands began shaking.
I called Camille.
She answered after two rings.
“Marcus?”
“We have a bigger problem.”
I explained everything.
She listened silently.
Then asked, “Has any loan been funded?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't assume. We'll contact the lender through verified channels and request the records.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
“Marcus, your mother needs independent counsel immediately.”
“I understand.”
Camille paused.
“And you should consider having a forensic accountant review the household transactions.”
I swallowed.
“Please arrange it.”
After the call, I sat alone.
For years, I'd believed Vanessa and I were building a future together.
Now I was wondering how much of that future she'd gambled away.
I remembered our wedding.
She wore a white gown.
I stood beside her beneath an arch of flowers.
My mother cried during the vows.
Vanessa held Evelyn's hands afterward.
She promised we'd always take care of each other.
I believed her.
And now my mother had spent an entire evening washing dishes while Vanessa tried to turn her house into collateral for a secret loan.
I covered my face.
How had I missed this?
The next morning, I told Evelyn what I'd discovered.
We sat at the kitchen table.
She listened quietly.
Then she closed her eyes.
“Oh, Marcus.”
I took her hand.
“Mom, I'm so sorry.”
She shook her head.
“You didn't know.”
I looked down.
“I should have.”
She squeezed my fingers.
“Baby, you can't see everything.”
I swallowed.
“But I should've noticed how she treated you.”
My mother's eyes filled.
I continued.
“I should've asked more questions.”
She smiled sadly.
“You're asking now.”
I looked at her.
Then she said something unexpected.
“Marcus, I don't want you to destroy your marriage because of me.”
My heart broke.
“Mom…”
She shook her head.
“I know you love Vanessa.”
I took a breath.
“I did.”
She looked at me.
I continued.
“But love doesn't excuse cruelty.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
I squeezed her hand.
“And it doesn't excuse putting your home at risk.”
She nodded slowly.
Then whispered, “There's something else.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
She looked toward the garden.
“Vanessa wasn't the only person who asked me to sign papers.”
I froze.
“Who else?”
My mother swallowed.
“A man came here last week.”
My heart raced.
“What man?”
“He said he worked with Daniel Price.”
I stared at her.
“What did he want?”
“He told me Marcus had already approved the loan.”
My stomach dropped.
Then Evelyn whispered something that made everything worse.
“He said if I didn't sign, you could lose your company.”
I couldn't breathe.
May you like
Someone had used my business as a threat to pressure my mother.
And suddenly, I understood that Vanessa's secret investment might have become part of something much more dangerous.
