Chapter 6: The Loan Was Only the Beginning
Daniel immediately called the lender.
He put the phone on speaker.
“Good morning. This is Daniel Brooks, representing Elena Reyes and Mateo Reyes. I'm calling regarding a proposed secured loan against the property at 184 Willow Creek Road.””
A woman answered.
“Certainly. May I have the application reference?””
Daniel provided it.
There was a pause.
“I can confirm the application has been approved.””
“Has the loan been funded?””
Another pause.
“I can see that the funds were released yesterday.””
My mother gripped the sofa.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“How much?”” I asked.
Daniel raised one finger, asking me to wait.
“Who authorized the release?”” he asked.
The woman hesitated.
“According to our records, the authorized representative was Westbridge Holdings LLC.””
“Was the original property owner independently verified?””
“I'd need to check the file.””
“Please do.””
We heard typing.
Then the woman returned.
“The file contains a signed authorization from Elena Reyes.””
My mother shook her head violently.
“I never signed anything!””
Daniel's voice became firm.
“I'm formally notifying you that the signature is disputed and that the property transfer may involve fraudulent documentation. Please escalate this to your legal department and preserve all records.””
“I understand, sir.””
“Also, provide the date and destination of the funds.””
“I can provide limited information over the phone.””
“Then please send the full records to my office through the appropriate legal process.””
He ended the call.
I stared at Sofia.
“You got the money.””
She looked down.
“Mateo, listen—”
“How much?””
She swallowed.
“Four hundred and eighty thousand.””
“And where is it?””
“It's complicated.””
I stepped closer.
“Where is the money?””
She started crying again.
“Some of it went toward the company.””
“What company?””
“Westbridge.””
“Where's the rest?””
She didn't answer.
Richard spoke from the dining table.
“Mateo, I think I know.””
Everyone turned toward him.
He opened his laptop.
“Westbridge wasn't created to invest in property. It was created to receive money and move it through several accounts.””
Daniel leaned over his shoulder.
“Do you have transaction records?””
Richard nodded.
“I've been following the company for months.””
Sofia's face hardened.
“You had no right.””
Richard ignored her.
He opened a spreadsheet.
The first transfer showed $480,000 entering Westbridge's account.
The next entries showed money leaving in smaller amounts.
$95,000.
$70,000.
$40,000.
$125,000.
The final transfer was for $150,000.
I stared at the screen.
“Where did it go?””
Richard pointed to the recipient names.
“Several accounts. One belongs to a business associate. Another belongs to an offshore payment company.””
Daniel frowned.
“And this final recipient?””
Richard hesitated.
Then he turned the laptop toward us.
The name was familiar.
Too familiar.
*Sofia Reyes.*
My wife had transferred one hundred and fifty thousand dollars directly into her personal account.
I looked at her.
“You told me this was to pay your business debts.””
“It was.””
“Then why did you transfer money into your own account?””
“I needed to protect myself.””
“From what?””
She wiped her face.
“From everything!””
My mother stood.
“Did you take the money because you thought we would throw you out?””
Sofia turned toward her.
“You don't understand what it's like living here!””
Mom looked genuinely confused.
“I gave you the master bedroom. I let you choose the furniture. I never asked you to pay rent.””
“That isn't the point!””
“Then what is the point?””
Sofia looked at me.
“I wanted something that belonged to me.””
I shook my head.
“You had our marriage. Our home. Our family.””
“I had a life where everyone else's needs came first!””
I looked at her for a long moment.
Then I asked the question I had been avoiding.
“Did you plan the chair incident?””
Her expression changed.
“No.””
“Leo saw you pull it.””
“He misunderstood.””
“He said you moved it.””
“I was moving it out of the way!””
My sister stepped forward.
“Then why did you say the chair wasn't meant for her?””
Sofia looked at her.
“Because I was angry!””
“At a seventy-year-old woman?””
Sofia didn't respond.
Daniel closed his laptop.
“We need to focus on preserving the evidence and protecting the property. Mateo, I recommend that you and your mother stay somewhere safe tonight if tensions continue.””
My mother shook her head.
“I won't leave my home.””
“I understand,” Daniel said.
“I'm not suggesting you surrender possession. I'm suggesting we make sure you're safe while we take the necessary legal steps.””
I looked at Sofia.
“You should pack a bag.””
Her eyes widened.
“What?””
“You need to stay somewhere else tonight.””
“This is my home too!””
“It's my mother's house, and you have just admitted to moving money obtained through a disputed property loan.””
“I didn't admit to anything illegal!””
“I didn't say you did. But I won't pretend nothing happened.””
She stared at me.
Then she picked up her phone.
“Fine.””
She walked upstairs.
A few minutes later, I heard drawers opening and closing.
Isabel helped Mom into the kitchen.
Richard remained with Daniel, organizing the documents.
I went upstairs to check on Leo.
He was sitting on his bed, drawing with colored pencils.
“What are you drawing, buddy?””
He showed me the picture.
It was a house with a large tree beside it.
Three people stood in front.
Me.
Grandma.
And Leo.
I smiled weakly.
“Where's Mom?””
He looked down.
“I didn't know if I should draw her.””
I sat beside him.
“You can draw whoever you want.””
He studied my face.
“Are you going to divorce her?””
I wasn't prepared for that question.
“Leo, grown-up problems are complicated.””
“Does that mean yes?””
I put an arm around him.
“It means I'm going to make sure you and Grandma are safe.””
He nodded.
Then he whispered, “I heard Mom talking on the phone last night.””
My body went still.
“What did you hear?””
“She said the house would be empty by Monday.””
I stared at him.
“Who was she talking to?””
“I don't know. She said someone was coming to get the papers.””
“What papers?””
Leo shrugged.
“Something about the blue folder.””
I stood immediately.
“Did you see where she put it?””
He pointed toward our bedroom.
“Under the bed.””
I went downstairs and told Daniel.
We entered the bedroom together.
Sofia was standing beside the wardrobe, putting clothes into a suitcase.
Daniel spoke calmly.
“Mrs. Reyes, we need to ask about a blue folder.””
Her hands stopped.
“What folder?””
“A blue document folder Leo mentioned.””
Sofia looked toward me.
“You're questioning your own child now?””
“I'm asking about a folder.””
She zipped her suitcase.
“There's nothing here.””
Daniel looked under the bed.
There was a blue folder pushed against the wall.
He reached for it.
Sofia stepped forward.
“Don't touch that!””
I moved between them.
“What's inside?””
“Private paperwork.””
Daniel opened the folder.
The first document was a printed email.
The second was a property inspection schedule.
The third was a letter addressed to a locksmith.
I read it.
The letter instructed the locksmith to change the exterior locks of the house on Monday morning.
The stated authorization came from Westbridge Holdings LLC.
But there was something else.
A second page listed the names of everyone who would be required to vacate the property.
Elena Reyes.
Mateo Reyes.
Leo Reyes.
And Isabel Reyes.
I looked at Sofia.
“You were going to lock all of us out?””
She shook her head.
“I wasn't going to let that happen.””
“Then why did you arrange it?””
She began crying.
“I was trying to buy time.””
“For what?””
She looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because the people who gave me the money are coming to collect it.””
The room fell silent.
“What people?”” I asked.
She didn't answer.
Daniel picked up the letter.
“Who authorized this locksmith?””
Sofia closed her eyes.
“Richard doesn't know everything.””
Richard appeared in the doorway.
“Then tell us what we're missing.””
Sofia looked at him with open hatred.
“You were supposed to keep your mouth shut.””
Richard's face tightened.
“Who are you working with, Sofia?””
She looked at me.
And then she said the words that changed everything.
“The man who financed Westbridge isn't some business associate.””
I felt my heart begin to pound.
“Who is he?””
Sofia swallowed.
“Your father's business partner.””
My mother gasped.
Richard stood motionless.
Then Sofia revealed the name.
“His name is Thomas Bennett.””
Richard slowly lowered his head.
I knew that name.
Thomas Bennett had been my father's closest business partner for nearly twenty years.
He had attended my father's funeral.
He had hugged my mother.
He had even stood beside me when we buried my father.
And according to the documents in Sofia's blue folder, he was the person who had funded the attempt to take our home.
But the final page contained something even more disturbing.
It was a handwritten note.
One sentence.
May you like
Written in Thomas Bennett's unmistakable signature:
*Once Elena is out, the boy becomes the only obstacle.*
