Chapter 6
The next morning, I stood in my office staring at the documents Rachel had uncovered.
Millions of dollars in property.
Multiple forged signatures.
Companies that seemed to exist only on paper.
And the name of Marcus's dead grandmother appearing on documents signed years after her death.
I felt sick.
I had worked in finance long enough to recognize suspicious patterns.
But this was different.
This wasn't just a company struggling with debt.
Someone had been quietly dismantling a family's legacy.
And the people closest to that family had either helped or looked away.
Rachel stood beside my desk.
"We've confirmed that Evelyn Williams died in 2016."
I nodded.
"The transfers are dated 2020."
"Exactly."
I looked at the documents.
"Who notarized them?"
Rachel pointed to a name.
"Gerald Price."
I frowned.
"Do we know him?"
She shook her head.
"Not personally."
I studied the signature.
"Has anyone verified his credentials?"
"His license was inactive during part of the relevant period."
My stomach tightened.
"Then these documents need immediate legal review."
Rachel nodded.
"I've already notified counsel."
I leaned back.
For a moment, I thought about Diane.
Missing.
Frightened.
Possibly hiding from Raymond.
Then I thought about Vanessa.
The woman who had laughed at my clothes.
Where was she now?
I turned toward Rachel.
"Have we located Vanessa?"
She shook her head.
"Not yet."
I rubbed my forehead.
"Keep trying."
Before Rachel could answer, my phone rang.
Marcus.
I picked up immediately.
"Hey."
His voice sounded exhausted.
"Nia, Dad just called."
My heart jumped.
"Any news?"
"Mom's been found."
I stood.
"Is she okay?"
"She's alive."
Relief washed through me.
"Thank God."
Marcus took a breath.
"She was hiding at an apartment belonging to one of her old friends."
I closed my eyes.
"Was she hurt?"
"Minor injuries. The police are arranging medical care."
I sat down slowly.
"What happened to her car?"
Marcus hesitated.
"She says Raymond confronted her outside his office."
My stomach tightened.
"He hurt her?"
"She says he grabbed her and tried to take her phone."
I felt anger rise.
Marcus continued.
"She managed to get away, but she was injured during the struggle."
I swallowed.
"Has Raymond been found?"
"No."
I looked toward Rachel.
She was watching me carefully.
Marcus continued.
"Mom finally told the police everything."
I felt my chest tighten.
"Everything?"
"As much as she knows."
He paused.
"And she wants to talk to you."
I stared at the phone.
"Me?"
"Yeah."
I didn't know what to say.
The woman who had humiliated me now wanted my help.
I took a breath.
"Okay."
That afternoon, I met Diane at a private medical facility where she was being evaluated.
Marcus came with me.
Diane sat on the edge of a bed wearing a simple gray cardigan.
There was a bruise on her arm.
Her short natural curls looked disheveled.
When she saw me, her eyes filled with tears.
"Nia."
I stopped near the doorway.
"Hello, Diane."
She looked down.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, "I'm sorry."
I waited.
She continued.
"For what I said at dinner."
My chest tightened.
"I was cruel."
I nodded.
"Yes, you were."
She looked up.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I judged you because of your clothes."
I stayed silent.
"And when I saw your car, I suddenly wanted to treat you differently."
I took a breath.
"Why?"
She looked ashamed.
"Because I thought wealth made someone important."
I stared at her.
She continued.
"I spent years trying to make people believe our family had money."
Her voice cracked.
"Even when everything was falling apart."
I felt something soften inside me.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But understanding.
Diane continued.
"I was so afraid of looking poor that I forgot how to treat people."
I nodded slowly.
"That fear hurt your son."
She began crying harder.
"I know."
"And it hurt me."
"I know."
I stepped closer.
"Diane, I didn't need you to admire my success."
She looked at me.
"I just wanted you to treat me like a human being."
She covered her face.
"I'm sorry."
For a long moment, I let her cry.
Then she reached toward a folder beside her.
"There's something you need to see."
I looked at Marcus.
He nodded.
Diane handed me the folder.
Inside were copies of bank statements, property deeds, and handwritten notes.
I scanned the first page.
My stomach tightened.
"Where did you get these?"
Diane swallowed.
"Vanessa."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Where is she?"
Diane shook her head.
"I don't know."
His expression fell.
Diane continued.
"She gave me the copies before she disappeared."
I looked at the documents.
One page contained a list of transfers.
Another identified companies connected to Raymond.
Then I saw something that made my heart stop.
A property owned by Carter Capital Holdings appeared in the records.
I stared.
"That's impossible."
Marcus looked at me.
"What?"
I pointed at the document.
"This building belongs to my company."
Diane looked confused.
I continued.
"We purchased it legally three years ago."
Rachel's earlier concerns suddenly made sense.
If Raymond had manipulated the underlying property records, some of my company's own assets could be affected.
I felt cold.
"Did Raymond try to borrow against these properties?"
Diane nodded.
"He used them as collateral."
My chest tightened.
"Without authorization?"
She began crying.
"Yes."
I looked at Marcus.
This wasn't only about his family's company anymore.
Raymond's actions could threaten innocent investors, employees, and property owners across several businesses.
I turned toward Diane.
"Do you understand how serious this is?"
She nodded.
"I do now."
I took a breath.
"We need to give these records to investigators."
"Please."
She grabbed my hand.
"Please help Vanessa."
I looked at her.
Her eyes were desperate.
"She made mistakes, but she's my daughter."
I felt a familiar ache.
I thought about my own mother.
About how far she would have gone to protect me.
I squeezed Diane's hand.
"We'll do everything we can through the right people."
She began crying again.
Marcus stepped forward.
He hugged his mother.
For a moment, I looked away.
Their relationship had been damaged for years.
But fear had stripped away some of the pride that kept them apart.
When we left the room, Marcus took my hand.
"Thank you."
I looked at him.
"For what?"
"For being kind to her."
I swallowed.
"Kindness doesn't mean pretending she didn't hurt me."
He nodded.
"I know."
I squeezed his hand.
"But I won't become cruel just because someone was cruel to me."
He smiled sadly.
"That's one of the reasons I love you."
My heart softened.
Then my phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered.
"Nia, we found Vanessa."
I stopped walking.
"Where?"
"At the airport."
My stomach tightened.
"Is she leaving?"
Rachel hesitated.
"She was trying to board a flight."
I looked at Marcus.
His expression changed.
Then Rachel continued.
"Investigators have spoken with her."
I exhaled.
"Is she safe?"
"Yes."
Relief washed through me.
But Rachel wasn't finished.
"Nia, Vanessa told them something important."
I gripped the phone.
"What?"
"Raymond planned to transfer the last remaining Williams properties tomorrow."
My stomach dropped.
"To who?"
Rachel took a breath.
"An offshore company."
I felt cold.
Then she added something that changed everything.
"Vanessa says he was going to use your acquisition money to complete the scheme."
I stared at the wall.
The sale to Carter Capital hadn't been an ordinary business deal.
It might have been the final step in Raymond's plan.
And if my team had signed the agreement without uncovering the fraud, we could have unknowingly financed the disappearance of millions of dollars in family assets.
I looked at Marcus.
He was watching me anxiously.
I took his hand.
"We need to stop the closing."
He nodded.
"Tell me what to do."
For the first time, I wasn't dealing with Marcus's family as an outsider.
May you like
We were facing the truth together.
And tomorrow, everything Raymond had built on lies could finally collapse.
