Chapter 6: The Woman Who Called Herself Family
Daniel read the email twice.
Then he looked at Marcus.
“Who is the claimant?””
Marcus's mouth opened, but before he could answer, Daniel's phone vibrated again.
A second message appeared.
This time, it contained an attachment.
Daniel opened it.
I watched his expression change as he read the first few lines. His eyebrows drew together. He glanced at the document, then at me, then at Vanessa.
“What?”” I demanded.
Daniel turned the screen away.
“I'm sorry. I need to verify the source before I discuss the contents.””
“Everyone keeps telling me what they can't discuss. I'm the person whose name is on these forms.””
“I understand.””
“Then stop treating me like a stranger.””
His face softened.
“You're right.””
He placed the phone on the table and showed me the attachment.
It was a scanned insurance application. The top section contained my family policy number. Below it were several fields concerning a maternity benefit.
The claimant's name was visible.
*Vanessa Reed.*
For a moment, the ballroom disappeared.
I heard Lily breathing beside me. I heard a champagne flute being set down somewhere behind us. I felt the baby's weight pressing against my ribs.
But all I could see was Vanessa's name.
I lifted my eyes.
“You filed a maternity claim?””
Vanessa shook her head violently.
“Not in the way you think.””
“Then tell me what way I should think.””
She looked toward Marcus.
He stared at the floor.
“Tell her,” Vanessa said.
He remained silent.
“Tell her what you promised me.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“You're making this worse.””
“No,” Vanessa replied.
“You did that yourself.””
She turned toward me, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“I was never trying to take your place.””
I stared at her.
“Then why is your name on a maternity claim attached to my policy?””
“Because Marcus told me the policy was part of a financial arrangement. He said there was a benefit available through his company, and that I qualified for it.””
“Why would you qualify?””
Vanessa hesitated.
The answer seemed to frighten her more than the accusation.
“Because I'm listed as a dependent.””
The words struck me like a slap.
I looked at Marcus.
“Is she listed as your dependent?””
“It's an administrative classification.””
“That's not what I asked.””
He ran both hands through his hair.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain!””
He glanced around the ballroom. Guests who had once been smiling at us were now standing in tight little groups, whispering behind their hands.
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Vanessa was going through a difficult financial situation. I was trying to help her.””
“With our insurance?””
“With a benefit through my business.””
“Using my name?””
“I didn't authorize anyone to forge your signature.””
“You already said that.””
“Because it's true!””
Daniel interrupted.
“Mr. Bennett, the application does more than list Ms. Reed as a dependent. It references a maternity event and requests that the benefit be paid under a supplemental agreement.””
Marcus turned on him.
“You said you hadn't reviewed the original file.””
“I said I hadn't seen the original sealed folder. I can read the application.””
Daniel pointed to the screen.
“The problem is that the supporting documentation appears to reference two separate patients. One is Mrs. Bennett.
The other is Ms. Reed.””
My stomach clenched.
“Two patients?””
“Yes.””
Vanessa sank into a nearby chair.
Marcus took a step toward her.
“Get up.””
She looked at him in disbelief.
“What?””
“Stand up and stop making a scene.””
She stared at him for several seconds.
Then she laughed through her tears.
“You still think you can tell me what to do?””
He grabbed the back of the chair.
“You have no idea what you've done.””
“I know exactly what I've done. I finally stopped protecting you.””
She stood.
For the first time, I saw no trace of the glamorous woman who had arrived at the gala looking untouchable. Her shoulders shook. Her mascara had begun to run. She looked exhausted.
“I didn't know he was married when we first met,” she told me.
I felt a hollow ache in my chest.
“When was that?””
“Almost two years ago.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Vanessa, stop.””
She ignored him.
“He told me his marriage was over. He said you were staying together because of Lily, and that you were planning to separate after the baby was born.””
I looked at my husband.
We had not been separated. We had been planning to renovate our kitchen, take Lily to Disney World, and choose a name for our son.
Or daughter.
We hadn't even learned the baby's sex.
“You told her our marriage was over?”” I whispered.
Marcus stepped toward me.
“It wasn't like that.””
“Then what was it like?””
He looked at Vanessa.
She answered for him.
“He told me he loved me.””
The sentence landed softly, almost politely.
Somehow, that made it worse.
I remembered Marcus falling asleep with his hand on my belly. I remembered him bringing home tiny baby clothes and holding them up with a grin. I remembered the night he'd promised that our children would never have to wonder whether their father loved them.
I had believed him.
“Did you love him?”” I asked Vanessa.
She looked down.
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt more than another denial would have.
“And the maternity claim?””
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
“I was told the application would cover expenses connected to a pregnancy-related medical arrangement. I signed the witness statement because Marcus said everything had been approved.””
“What medical arrangement?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know the full details.””
“You expect me to believe you signed paperwork involving my insurance without knowing what it meant?””
“I didn't know your name was being used until last week.””
Daniel looked up.
“Last week?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I saw a copy of the authorization. I told Marcus it wasn't right. I asked him to withdraw the application.””
“And what did he say?”” I asked.
“He said it was too late.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You don't understand the financial consequences.””
Vanessa turned on him.
“Then explain them! Explain why you told me the baby would solve everything!””
My hand flew to my mouth.
Daniel went very still.
Marcus looked as if he'd been struck.
“What did you just say?”” I whispered.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“I shouldn't have said that.””
“No. You should have.””
She looked at me, and for a moment, I thought she might finally tell me everything.
Instead, she glanced toward Daniel.
“There's something else in the file.””
Daniel opened the application again.
“What?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“The name of the person who authorized the second claim.””
Daniel scrolled to the final page.
A signature appeared at the bottom.
Marcus Bennett.
My husband stared at it without blinking.
Then he whispered, “That isn't the signature you need to be worried about.””
I felt the room tilt again.
“What does that mean?””
He looked at me, his eyes shining with a fear I had never seen before.
“The person who authorized the claim wasn't supposed to be me.””
Before I could ask another question, Daniel's phone rang.
He answered, listened for three seconds, and turned pale.
“Yes,” he said.
“She's here.””
A pause.
“No, the husband is here too.””
His eyes met mine.
Then he held the phone out to me.
“The insurance company's investigator is on the line,” he said.
“And she says the second claimant has just submitted proof that the baby she's carrying is legally connected to your family.””
I stared at him.
Then I looked at Vanessa.
She had gone completely white.
Marcus reached for the phone.
I pulled it away.
“Who is the father of Vanessa's baby?”” I asked.
Neither of them answered.
May you like
And when I finally brought the phone to my ear, the investigator's first words made my blood run cold.
“Mrs. Bennett, before you hear anything else, you need to know that your husband's original policy contains a beneficiary designation you never signed.””
