Chapter 5
The next morning, I walked into Patricia Monroe's office carrying Lily in her car seat.
Renee came with me.
Noah and Jordan stayed with Renee's husband, Malcolm, whom they had known their entire lives.
For the first time in days, I knew they were somewhere safe.
Patricia greeted me with a hug.
"You look exhausted."
"I am."
She glanced at Lily.
"And this beautiful girl?"
I smiled despite everything.
"She's doing better than her mother."
Patricia guided us into her office.
Then she placed a folder on her desk.
"I reviewed the documents you sent."
My stomach tightened.
"And?"
"The power of attorney appears suspicious. Your signature is inconsistent with verified examples, and the witnessing details raise serious questions."
I swallowed.
"Can we stop them?"
"The lender has suspended the application. I've referred the suspected forgery to the appropriate investigators."
I breathed out.
"But that isn't all," Patricia continued.
She turned her computer toward me.
"Your business account records show several unusual transactions."
I stared at the screen.
For years, I had built my interior design business from a small rented office.
I started with one client.
Then five.
Then dozens.
Eventually, my work paid for a home where Noah, Jordan, and Lily could grow up safely.
Daniel had always praised my success.
At least, I thought he had.
Patricia pointed to a transaction.
"Last month, twelve thousand dollars was transferred from your business account."
I frowned.
"I didn't authorize that."
"There's another one."
Eight thousand.
Then six thousand.
Then nine thousand.
My heart sank.
"Thirty-five thousand dollars?"
Patricia nodded.
"The funds went to an account connected with a company called Harbor Ridge Consulting."
I had never heard of it.
"Who owns that company?"
Patricia paused.
"Public business records list Vanessa Carter as its manager."
I stared at her.
"Vanessa?"
My sister-in-law.
The same woman who stood beside Evelyn and threatened my family.
Renee whispered, "You've got to be kidding me."
Patricia continued.
"Someone with legitimate access to your bookkeeping platform used credentials assigned to Daniel."
I felt sick.
Daniel sometimes helped me review expenses.
He had access because I trusted him.
He had insisted it would make things easier while I was pregnant.
I never imagined he would use that access to move my money.
"Why Vanessa's company?"
"That's what we need to establish."
I looked down at Lily.
She slept peacefully.
Completely unaware of the chaos surrounding her.
"Can I get the money back?"
"We're taking steps to preserve records and notify the bank. Recovery may be possible, but I can't promise an outcome."
I nodded.
I appreciated her honesty.
Patricia leaned forward.
"Nia, I also recommend changing account permissions immediately. We'll discuss legal protection for you and your children."
I told her what happened the night before.
The guardianship papers.
The financial authorization.
Daniel's confession.
Vanessa's strange warning.
Patricia listened closely.
"Second account," she repeated.
"That's what Vanessa said."
She opened another file.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"Harbor Ridge Consulting has a second registered business address."
She turned the page.
I recognized the street.
It was in a quiet neighborhood fifteen minutes from my home.
"What is that address?"
Patricia looked at me.
"A residential property."
My pulse quickened.
"Who owns it?"
She checked the county record.
"An investment company."
"What company?"
"Westbrook Residential Holdings."
I stared at her.
Westbrook.
The failed development Daniel claimed had destroyed his finances.
Patricia clicked through additional records.
"There's something unusual about the ownership trail."
I leaned closer.
A series of company names appeared.
One led to another.
Then another.
Finally, she found a filing naming the company's registered agent.
Vanessa Carter.
Renee slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Oh, my God."
I couldn't speak.
The money hadn't simply disappeared into a failed investment.
At least some of it appeared connected to Vanessa.
My own sister-in-law.
"What does this mean?"
Patricia closed the file carefully.
"It raises serious questions. We need a forensic accountant to trace the transactions before drawing conclusions."
I nodded.
But my mind was racing.
The threats.
The forged signature.
The family meeting I hadn't been invited to.
Vanessa's fear when she saw the envelope.
Suddenly, everything felt much darker.
When we left Patricia's office, I had three missed calls from Daniel.
I ignored them.
Then a message appeared.
NIA, PLEASE CALL ME.
VANESSA DID SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
I stopped walking.
Renee noticed.
"What happened?"
I showed her.
She frowned.
"He's blaming his sister now?"
"I don't know."
Another message arrived.
MOM FOUND THE ACCOUNT.
SHE'S FURIOUS.
Then my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I almost rejected it.
Instead, I answered.
"What do you want?"
Her voice sounded frightened.
"Nia, listen to me."
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Are you calling about the money you took from my business?"
Silence.
Then she whispered, "I can explain."
"Start explaining."
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this."
"What wasn't?"
She began crying.
I had never heard Vanessa cry.
Not once.
"Daniel told Mom one version. He told me another. He said you were going to divorce him and take everything."
I felt cold.
"He lied."
"I know that now."
"Then why did you help him?"
She breathed shakily.
"Because I thought he was protecting us."
"From what?"
Before she could answer, a man's voice sounded in the background.
"Vanessa! Who are you talking to?"
Daniel.
Vanessa gasped.
"Nia, don't trust him."
The call disconnected.
I stared at the phone.
Renee looked alarmed.
"What did she say?"
I repeated everything.
For several seconds, my sister was silent.
Then she said, "They're turning on each other."
I looked through the glass doors toward the parking lot.
A familiar black SUV slowly passed the entrance.
Daniel's vehicle.
My stomach dropped.
"Renee."
"What?"
"Get in the car."
She followed my gaze.
The SUV turned at the next intersection.
May you like
Then circled back.
And I realized Daniel had followed us to my attorney's office.
