Chapter 5
I spent that night in my mother's guest bedroom.
The same room where I had slept as a teenager.
The walls had been repainted, but the old wooden dresser still stood beside the window.
My high school baseball trophy remained on the shelf.
Everything looked familiar.
Nothing felt safe.
At two in the morning, I was still awake, staring at the bank information Tasha had forwarded.
One hundred and twelve thousand dollars.
The recipient account was linked to Nia's business.
Carter Property Solutions.
I had helped her register that company three years earlier.
It was supposed to become the foundation of her real estate career.
Now it was connected to suspicious transactions involving my mother's property.
I wanted to believe Nia had been manipulated.
I wanted to believe she'd made terrible decisions without understanding the consequences.
But I couldn't ignore what was happening.
She had lied about the mortgage application.
She had hidden Darren's involvement.
She had approached my mother with suspicious documents.
And money had moved through her company.
By sunrise, I knew one thing.
Love could no longer be an excuse for ignoring the truth.
At eight, Angela called.
"I have some important news."
I sat up.
"Tell me."
"The alleged property transfer involving Evelyn has serious defects. The supporting authorization is being challenged, and we're moving to prevent anyone from relying on it."
"Does that mean Mom keeps her house?"
"It means we're taking strong steps to protect it. But we still have work to do."
I rubbed my eyes.
"What else?"
"The notary listed on the document contacted us after we reached out."
My heart started pounding.
"What did she say?"
"She says she never notarized your mother's signature."
I stood.
"Then the stamp is fake?"
"At minimum, she disputes the notarial act. Investigators will need to determine exactly what happened."
For the first time since yesterday, I felt something like hope.
Angela continued.
"We're reporting the suspected fraud and requesting that the relevant financial institutions preserve their records."
"Thank you."
"Marcus, there's more."
I waited.
"Your wife needs independent legal advice. If she participated in this, the consequences could be serious."
"I understand."
"And don't move or conceal any joint records. Keep everything documented."
I agreed.
After the call, I went downstairs.
Mom was standing at the stove.
She had made pancakes.
Just like she used to when I was little.
"You're awake early," she said.
"I didn't sleep much."
She placed a plate in front of me.
"Eat."
"Mom, you don't have to cook for me."
She gave me a tired smile.
"Feeding you is one thing nobody can take away from me."
My throat tightened.
I took a bite.
She sat across from me.
"Did you find out anything?"
"We have evidence the documents weren't properly authorized."
She closed her eyes.
"Thank God."
"But we still need to handle everything legally."
She nodded.
Then she reached across the table.
"Marcus, I need you to promise me something."
"Anything."
"Don't let anger turn you into someone you aren't."
I looked down.
She squeezed my hand.
"I know you're hurting. But I didn't raise you to destroy people just because they hurt you."
I swallowed.
"I know, Mom."
"Protect yourself. Protect what's right. But don't lose your heart."
I kissed her hand.
"I promise."
Later that morning, Nia called.
I almost ignored it.
Then I answered.
"Hello?"
Her voice sounded exhausted.
"Marcus, can we talk?"
"About what?"
"Everything."
I stayed silent.
She continued.
"Darren is missing. His office is closed. Nobody can reach him."
"Have you contacted an attorney?"
"No."
"You need to."
"Marcus, please. I need my husband."
I stared at the wall.
"Where were you when my mother needed basic respect?"
She began crying.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For the way I treated Evelyn."
"And?"
"For hiding the investment."
"And?"
A long pause.
Then she whispered, "For using your information."
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The admission I had been dreading.
"Did you sign my name?"
"I used an electronic signature from some paperwork we completed last year."
I felt physically sick.
"You knew I hadn't agreed."
"Yes."
"Did you sign Mom's name too?"
"No."
"Are you telling me the truth?"
"I gave Darren copies of documents Nia's office had collected. He handled the rest."
I breathed slowly.
"Do you understand what you've done?"
She broke down.
"I thought I was helping us become wealthy."
"We had a good life."
"Not the kind I wanted."
Her words landed harder than I expected.
I thought about our home.
Our vacations.
Our comfortable savings.
The business I had spent years building.
Apparently, none of it had been enough.
"What kind of life did you want, Nia?"
She whispered, "The kind where nobody looks down on me."
I frowned.
"Who was looking down on you?"
She was silent.
Then she said something I had never heard before.
"Your mother."
I almost laughed.
"Mom?"
"She was always reminding me what she sacrificed for you."
"No. You just learned about that money yesterday."
"Not the deposit. Other things. She'd talk about how hard she worked. How you came from nothing."
"She was telling stories about our lives."
Nia's voice rose.
"Every time she said those things, I felt like I'd never be good enough for you."
I stood near the window.
"So instead of telling me how you felt, you decided to humiliate her?"
"I didn't plan for any of this."
"But you helped it happen."
She began crying again.
"Can you forgive me?"
I looked toward the kitchen.
Mom was washing dishes with her sleeves rolled up.
The same hands that had raised me.
The same hands that Nia had made tremble with humiliation.
"I don't know," I answered.
There was silence.
Then Nia whispered, "Are you leaving me?"
"I can't stay in a marriage built on secrets."
She inhaled sharply.
"Marcus, please."
"I need the complete truth."
"I told you everything."
I stared at the transfer record on my phone.
"No, you haven't."
"What else do you want?"
"One hundred and twelve thousand dollars went into your business account yesterday."
Silence.
"Nia?"
Her breathing changed.
"Where did you get that information?"
"Is it true?"
She didn't answer.
May you like
And then she said six words that changed everything.
"Marcus, the money is already gone."
