Chapter 3: The Person Behind the Scheme
I left the reception before the first dance.
Not dramatically.
I didn't throw the envelope across the room or accuse anyone in front of the guests.
I simply told Nia that Daniel needed me for an urgent company matter.
She followed me into the corridor.
"Marcus, what is going on?""
I turned.
"Why?""
"Because you've been acting strange all afternoon.""
She reached for my hand.
"Is this about the papers? We can discuss them tomorrow.""
"Tomorrow?""
"Yes. It's our wedding night.""
Her voice softened.
For a moment, I almost recognized the woman I had fallen in love with.
Then she glanced at the envelope beneath my arm.
"Did you sign them?""
"No.""
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
"Why not?""
"I wanted to read them.""
She laughed nervously.
"Marcus, we've discussed this a dozen times.""
"We have?""
"Of course.""
I held her gaze.
"Then you won't mind explaining what the trust amendment does.""
Her fingers tightened around mine.
"Baby, please. Not here.""
"Where, then?""
"At home.""
I studied her face.
"Which home, Nia? Mine?""
She withdrew her hand.
"That's a ridiculous thing to say.""
"Is it?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"You're embarrassing me.""
That sentence almost made me laugh.
Not because it was amusing.
Because she was still worried about appearances.
"Go back inside," I said.
"Marcus—"
"I'll be there shortly.""
She stared at me, then turned and walked toward the ballroom.
I waited until she disappeared before calling Daniel.
"Where are you?""
"Conference room on the second floor.""
I took the elevator.
When I entered, Daniel was sitting with a woman in a gray blazer. A laptop was open in front of her, surrounded by printed financial records.
"This is Rachel Morgan," Daniel said.
"She's our forensic accountant.""
Rachel stood.
"Mr. Carter.""
"Please. Call me Marcus.""
She nodded and gestured toward a chair.
"I've reviewed the preliminary transactions. I need to ask you several questions.""
"Go ahead.""
She opened a spreadsheet.
"Over the past four months, approximately eighty-seven thousand dollars has moved from an account associated with your estate-planning expenses into a private consulting account.""
I frowned.
"I didn't authorize that.""
"That's what we suspected.""
She turned the laptop toward me.
The receiving account belonged to a company called Bennett Strategic Consulting.
Bennett was Nia's surname.
"Is that her company?""
Rachel nodded.
"Registered five months ago. The listed director is Patricia Bennett.""
I stared at the screen.
"So her mother has been receiving my money?""
"Indirectly, yes. There are several transfers through intermediary accounts.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"That's not all.""
He opened another file.
"Someone requested a preliminary valuation of your father's house and the investment properties held by the trust.""
"Who?""
"An outside valuation firm. The request came through the same legal office.""
I looked at Rachel.
"Can you trace the authorization?""
"We're working on it.""
She hesitated.
"There's something else. The bank account that funded the initial consulting payments was not your personal account.""
"Whose was it?""
Rachel enlarged a document.
The account holder's name appeared.
*OLIVIA CARTER.*
My younger sister.
For several seconds, the room seemed to tilt.
"No.""
Daniel watched me carefully.
"Marcus, we need to establish what happened before drawing conclusions.""
"Olivia wouldn't do this.""
"Then let's find out why her account was involved.""
I stood.
"I need to talk to her.""
Daniel rose immediately.
"I'll come with you.""
"No. I want to speak to my sister alone.""
Rachel closed the laptop.
"Before you go, there's another document you should see.""
She handed me a printed bank authorization.
It showed a transfer request for forty thousand dollars.
The signature belonged to Olivia.
But at the bottom of the form, a second name appeared as the approving representative.
*NIA BENNETT.*
I stared at it.
"How did Nia have access to Olivia's account?""
Rachel folded her hands.
"We don't know yet.""
I took the paper and left.
Olivia was standing near the hotel terrace when I found her.
She still wore the pale blue dress she had chosen for my wedding. Her makeup had run beneath her eyes.
When she saw me, she immediately looked away.
"Liv.""
She wiped her cheek.
"Hey, Marcus.""
I stopped in front of her.
"What's happening?""
"Nothing.""
"Don't do that.""
She shook her head.
"I don't want to ruin your wedding.""
I looked at the ballroom doors behind us.
"That's already happened.""
Her face crumpled.
I lowered my voice.
"Rachel found money moving through an account in your name.""
Olivia closed her eyes.
For a moment, she didn't speak.
Then she whispered, "I didn't steal from you.""
"I didn't say you did.""
"I never wanted any of this.""
"Then tell me what happened.""
She looked toward the terrace entrance to make sure no one was nearby.
"Nia came to me four months ago.""
My jaw tightened.
"What did she want?""
"She said she was worried about you. She told me you were working too much, that you were under pressure, and that you needed someone to help organize your finances.""
I stared at her.
"Go on.""
"She said she wanted to create a separate emergency fund for the family. Something that would be available if you ever became ill or couldn't manage the company.""
"Did you believe her?""
Olivia nodded.
"At first.""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.
"She sent me documents to sign. She said you knew about everything.""
"Did you read them?""
"Some of them. Not all.""
She began crying again.
"Marcus, she told me it was for your protection.""
I felt anger rising, but I forced myself to remain calm.
"What did you sign?""
"An account authorization. She said it was temporary.""
"Did money enter your account?""
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Forty thousand dollars.""
I looked at her.
"Where did it go?""
"Straight out. Nia told me it was a transfer for the consulting company.""
"Did you receive anything?""
"No!""
Her voice cracked.
"She promised she would explain everything after the wedding.""
I stared at my sister.
For years, Olivia and I had been all each other had.
After our parents died, I had helped her through college. I had paid for her first apartment. I had attended every graduation, every job interview, every important moment.
I couldn't imagine her deliberately betraying me.
But I also couldn't ignore the documents.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Olivia lowered her head.
"Because Nia said if I told you, you'd think I was trying to destroy your marriage.""
I felt something cold settle inside my chest.
"What exactly did she threaten you with?""
Olivia looked at me.
"She said the money could make me look like I was stealing from you. She said the documents had my signature, and nobody would believe I didn't know what I was doing.""
I clenched my jaw.
"Did she say anything else?""
Olivia hesitated.
Then she opened her phone and showed me a message.
It was from Nia.
*Once Marcus signs tomorrow, everything will be settled. Don't contact him until I tell you.*
Tomorrow.
I read the message twice.
"What did she mean by tomorrow?""
Olivia shook her head.
"I don't know.""
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
"Marcus, you need to come back upstairs.""
"What happened?""
"We found the attorney.""
"And?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"He's not just some stranger Nia hired. He worked for your father years ago.""
I went still.
"Which attorney?""
"Edward Hayes.""
I remembered the name.
My father's estate attorney.
The man who had handled the original trust documents after my parents died.
The man who had attended my father's funeral.
The man who had once told me he would protect my family's interests as long as he lived.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Daniel continued.
"There's something you need to know about him. He contacted our office yesterday and asked for a copy of your father's original trust agreement.""
"Why?""
"Because he claims your father signed a second amendment shortly before his death.""
My stomach tightened.
"My father died five years ago.""
"I know.""
"Then why am I only hearing about this now?""
Daniel was silent for a moment.
"Because the amendment gives another person a claim to the trust.""
I looked at Olivia.
Her face had gone pale.
"Who?"" I asked.
Daniel answered with four words.
"Your father's other child.""
The terrace suddenly felt too small.
I gripped the phone.
"What other child?""
Daniel exhaled.
"Marcus, according to the document Edward Hayes submitted, your father had a son before he married your mother.""
I couldn't speak.
For thirty-six years, I had believed my parents had two children.
Me and Olivia.
Now, on the day I married a woman who had been plotting to take my inheritance, I had discovered that someone else might have a claim to everything my father left behind.
And that person had been connected to the scheme from the beginning.
Then Daniel said the one thing that made the entire situation even worse.
"Marcus, the name on the amendment is the same name listed as the original beneficiary of the account receiving Nia's money.""
I looked down at Olivia's phone.
A new message had appeared.
This time, it wasn't from Nia.
May you like
It was from an unknown number.
*You should ask your wife why she already knows your father's firstborn son.*
