Chapter 4
I sat completely still.
"There never was a transportation company?"
Tasha sighed.
"Not a real operating one."
I looked at Jasmine.
She noticed my expression immediately.
"What's wrong?"
I held up my hand.
Then I spoke into the phone.
"Explain."
Tasha hesitated.
"I worked for Darius for six months. He said he was starting a delivery business."
I swallowed.
"And?"
"He registered an LLC, opened a business account, and created documents showing future transportation contracts."
My stomach tightened.
"That sounds like a business."
"Except the contracts weren't real."
I stared at the wall.
"What?"
"He used fake letters of intent to convince people to invest."
I felt sick.
"Invest?"
Tasha nodded as though I could see her.
"Yes."
I looked down at the loan agreement.
"How much money?"
"I don't know the total."
"Do you know what happened to it?"
She hesitated.
"Some went toward personal expenses."
I closed my eyes.
"Whose?"
"Darius."
I felt anger rising.
"What expenses?"
"Rent. Credit cards. Expensive clothes. A car lease."
I stared at the table.
Marcus had told me Darius was struggling financially.
I assumed he needed help paying bills.
But now I was learning he had been living beyond his means.
And using other people's money to do it.
Tasha continued.
"I left when I realized the paperwork wasn't legitimate."
I took a slow breath.
"Why are you calling me?"
She was silent.
Then she whispered, "Because I saw your name on some documents."
My stomach tightened.
"What documents?"
"Loan applications."
I closed my eyes.
"Yes. I know."
She continued.
"But there's something else."
I gripped the phone.
"What?"
"Darius told someone your husband could get access to your retirement savings."
I felt cold.
"My retirement?"
"Yes."
I stared at Jasmine.
She looked alarmed.
Tasha continued.
"He said Marcus knew how to move money without you noticing."
My heart began pounding.
I had a retirement account through the hospital.
I contributed to it every paycheck.
It was supposed to help me build a secure future.
I had never authorized anyone to withdraw money.
"Did they access it?"
Tasha hesitated.
"I don't know."
I closed my eyes.
"Thank you for telling me."
She sounded relieved.
"Please be careful."
I promised I would.
Then I ended the call.
Jasmine leaned forward.
"What happened?"
I explained.
Her expression darkened.
"Nia, we need to act now."
I nodded.
I contacted my retirement plan administrator.
After verifying my identity, I asked whether any loans or withdrawals had been requested.
The representative checked.
Then she said, "Mrs. Brooks, I see a pending loan inquiry."
My stomach dropped.
"What?"
"A request was started online but not completed."
I closed my eyes.
"Was any money released?"
"No."
I finally breathed.
"Please secure the account."
She helped me change my access credentials and add additional verification.
Then she documented my concern.
When I ended the call, I felt exhausted.
But I also felt something else.
Determination.
I wasn't going to let Marcus and Darius destroy everything I'd worked for.
The next morning, Jasmine drove me to an attorney's office.
Her name was Angela Brooks.
She specialized in family law and financial disputes.
I explained everything.
Angela listened carefully.
Then she examined the documents.
Her face became serious.
"Nia, we need to separate several issues."
I nodded.
"Okay."
"First, the car loan and repossession."
I swallowed.
"Second, the business guarantee."
"Yes."
"Third, the unauthorized bank transfers."
I nodded again.
"And fourth, your marital relationship."
My eyes filled.
Angela looked at me gently.
"I know this is overwhelming."
I wiped my cheeks.
"I feel like my entire life is falling apart."
She nodded.
"But there are steps we can take."
For the first time in days, I felt hope.
Angela explained that we needed to dispute any forged signatures, preserve records, and notify the relevant institutions.
She also recommended filing appropriate reports concerning the suspected fraud.
I agreed.
Then she asked me a question.
"Did Marcus have permission to access your personal savings?"
I shook my head.
"He knew the password because we shared household finances. But I never authorized those transfers."
Angela nodded.
"That distinction matters."
I swallowed.
"Can I get my money back?"
She looked at me honestly.
"Possibly. But we need the banks to investigate and determine what can be recovered."
I nodded.
I didn't need false promises.
I needed the truth.
Angela also advised me to protect my credit.
We discussed freezes, fraud alerts, and documentation.
Then she asked whether I felt safe returning home.
I hesitated.
"Physically, yes."
She nodded.
"But emotionally?"
I looked down.
"No."
She didn't push me.
Instead, she explained my options.
By the end of the meeting, I had a plan.
Not a perfect plan.
But something solid.
I wasn't helpless anymore.
After leaving the office, Jasmine took me to lunch.
I barely touched my food.
She watched me.
"Nia, you need to eat."
I shook my head.
"I'm not hungry."
She sighed.
"Then at least drink some water."
I smiled faintly.
"Yes, Mom."
She laughed.
"Somebody has to look after you."
I felt tears rising.
For years, I had been the person everyone depended on.
At work.
At home.
In my family.
I was always helping.
Always giving.
Always fixing.
And now someone was taking care of me.
I didn't know how to accept it.
Jasmine reached across the table.
"You don't have to do everything alone."
I squeezed her hand.
"Thank you."
That afternoon, Marcus called.
I stared at his name on the screen.
My heart hurt.
Jasmine looked at me.
"You don't have to answer."
I nodded.
But I wanted to hear what he had to say.
I answered.
"Hello?"
Marcus sounded exhausted.
"Nia."
I remained silent.
"Can we talk?"
"About what?"
"Everything."
I took a breath.
"Then tell me the truth."
He sighed.
"I know I messed up."
I closed my eyes.
"You forged my signature."
"I know."
"You took money from my savings."
"I know."
"You let my car get repossessed."
His voice cracked.
"I know."
I felt anger rising.
"Then why are you still saying you only messed up?"
He was silent.
I continued.
"You didn't make one mistake, Marcus. You made decisions for months."
He began crying.
"I thought I could fix it."
I shook my head.
"By stealing more money?"
He didn't answer.
I took a slow breath.
"Marcus, what happened to the forty-eight thousand dollars?"
He hesitated.
Then whispered, "Darius lost it."
My stomach tightened.
"Lost it how?"
"Investments."
I closed my eyes.
"What investments?"
He didn't answer.
I felt cold.
"Marcus."
His voice became barely audible.
"Online trading."
I stared at the wall.
"Darius gambled with the money?"
Marcus began sobbing.
"Yes."
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I asked the question I had been afraid to ask.
"Did you know?"
Silence.
"Marcus, did you know what he was doing?"
He whispered, "Not at first."
I closed my eyes.
"And later?"
He began crying harder.
"I knew."
I stared at Jasmine.
She watched me carefully.
I felt something inside my marriage break.
"Then you kept helping him."
Marcus sobbed.
"I thought I could save him."
I whispered, "And who was saving me?"
He didn't answer.
I ended the call.
Then I sat at the restaurant table and cried.
Jasmine held my hand.
I felt exhausted.
But I also felt certain about one thing.
I could no longer trust my husband with my future.
That evening, Angela emailed me copies of several records she'd obtained.
I opened them.
Then froze.
Brooks Family Transportation LLC had listed two officers.
Darius Brooks.
And Marcus Brooks.
But there was a third name.
A silent partner.
Someone who had received several large transfers from the business account.
I leaned closer.
The name was unfamiliar.
Vanessa Mitchell.
I stared at it.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Tasha.
"Nia, I found out who Vanessa is."
I opened the next message.
My heart stopped.
"She's Darius's girlfriend. And she's been helping him move the money."
I stared at the screen.
May you like
Because now I understood that my husband hadn't only risked our marriage to rescue his brother.
He had helped finance an entire lie.
