Chapter 5: The House They Tried to Take
I barely slept that night.
At 6:15 the following morning, I was sitting in Mr. Collins's office with three folders, two cups of untouched coffee, and a photograph of Daniel outside the hospital.
His office smelled of leather, printer toner, and the peppermint tea he kept in a glass jar.
He placed a thick document on the desk.
"Before we discuss anything else, I need you to understand that your property has not been transferred," he said.
I released a breath.
"Thank God.""
"But someone has filed a preliminary claim against it.""
"Who?""
He turned the document toward me.
"Reed Holdings.""
I stared at the name.
Vanessa's company.
"How can a housekeeper's company file a claim against my property?""
"Because the claim states that you personally guaranteed a private loan using the property as security.""
"I never signed a loan agreement.""
"I know.""
He pointed to the signature at the bottom.
It was mine.
Or rather, it was a convincing imitation.
The same capital N.
The same slanted C.
The same small flourish at the end of Carter.
I felt sick.
"Can they take my house?""
"Not on the basis of this document alone. But we need to establish that the signature is fraudulent and challenge the filing immediately.""
I leaned forward.
"Who submitted it?""
Mr. Collins adjusted his glasses.
"The filing came through a legal representative named Thomas Bell.""
"Do you know him?""
He nodded slowly.
"Unfortunately.""
"What does that mean?""
"He's handled several property transactions for Daniel's business.""
I stared at him.
"Daniel's lawyer helped them?""
"That appears to be the case.""
Mr. Collins opened another folder.
"This is the most concerning part. The loan was for $120,000. According to the documents, it was issued to a company called Carter Development.""
"Daniel's company?""
"Yes. And your house was listed as collateral.""
I looked at the paperwork.
"Why would Vanessa lend Daniel that much money?""
"That's something we'll need to establish.""
I remembered her statement from the previous evening.
I invested in his company.
I remembered the $38,500 diamond sale.
And I remembered the beneficiary form.
Everything seemed connected.
"Can you stop the claim?""
"I've already submitted an objection. We'll also request the original documents and the transaction records.""
I nodded.
Then I noticed something strange.
A date.
The loan agreement was dated three months before Daniel proposed.
Three months.
Before the engagement ring.
Before the wedding planning.
Before he started talking about building a family together.
"Mr. Collins?""
"Yes?""
"Can you check something for me?""
I pointed to the loan agreement.
"Find out whether this company ever transferred money into Daniel's personal account.""
He made a note.
"Why?""
"Because I think the diamond wasn't the beginning of this.""
He studied my face.
"What do you mean?""
"I think they've been using my name for much longer than I realized.""
His expression became serious.
"Then we need to examine every document you've signed during the past year.""
I spent the next two hours answering questions.
I described the house, the wedding account, the insurance policy, and the documents Daniel had asked me to review.
Then I remembered something.
"Last month, Daniel asked me to sign a delivery confirmation.""
Mr. Collins looked up.
"What delivery?""
"He said some furniture was arriving for the wedding reception. He left a stack of papers on the kitchen counter.""
"Did you sign them?""
"I signed one page. I didn't read the others.""
He stopped writing.
"Do you remember the date?""
I checked my calendar.
"October third.""
He wrote it down.
"That could be important.""
When I left his office, I drove straight home.
I needed to see the original papers.
I needed to know how far this had gone.
The house was quiet when I arrived.
Vanessa's usual cleaning supplies were gone from the utility room. Her slippers were no longer beside the back door. The kitchen counter looked strangely empty.
I walked upstairs to Daniel's former office.
He had left several boxes there after moving in.
I opened the first one.
Old tax documents.
Business invoices.
A broken laptop.
Nothing unusual.
The second box contained wedding contracts and bank statements.
I sat on the floor and began sorting them.
At the bottom was a thick brown envelope.
Inside were photocopies of my passport, driver's license, property deed, and several pages of my mother's estate documents.
I froze.
Why had Daniel kept copies of everything?
Then I found a handwritten note.
Use the original signature from the estate papers. It's cleaner than the bank version.
Below it was another line.
Vanessa will handle the rest.
I read it again.
My fingers began to shake.
The note was in Daniel's handwriting.
I took a photograph.
Then I heard the front door open.
"Nia?""
Daniel.
I quickly placed the papers inside the envelope and stood.
He appeared in the doorway a moment later.
His tie was gone. His shirt was wrinkled, and his eyes were red.
"What are you doing here?"" I asked.
"I still have some things here.""
"You can arrange a time to collect them.""
He looked at the envelope in my hands.
"What's that?""
"Nothing.""
He stepped closer.
"Give it to me.""
"No.""
"Nia.""
"Get out.""
His expression hardened.
"You've been talking to Collins, haven't you?""
I didn't answer.
He laughed without humor.
"That man has no idea what he's getting involved in.""
"He's my attorney.""
"He's filling your head with nonsense.""
I held up the envelope.
"Did you write this?""
Daniel glanced at the note.
His face changed.
"Where did you find that?""
"Answer the question.""
He reached for it.
I stepped back.
"Did you use my mother's estate documents to copy my signature?""
"Nia, listen.""
"Did you?""
He looked toward the hallway.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Vanessa was supposed to handle the paperwork.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"Things got complicated.""
"Did you know she was filing a claim against my house?""
He didn't answer.
I felt something inside me go very still.
"You knew.""
"I was trying to protect us.""
"From what?""
He rubbed his face.
"Do you know how much money I owe?""
I stared at him.
"How much?""
He hesitated.
"Almost two hundred thousand.""
The number hit me like a slap.
"To whom?""
"Private lenders. Business partners. People who don't like waiting.""
"And you thought stealing my house would solve that?""
"I thought once we were married, we'd be able to restructure everything.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You were going to marry me for my property?""
"I love you.""
"Then why did you need a forged signature?""
He looked down.
I reached into my pocket and pressed the voice recorder button on my phone.
"Tell me exactly what happened.""
Daniel paced across the room.
"Vanessa introduced me to an investor. He gave me money to keep the company alive. Then the business lost a major contract.""
"Who was the investor?""
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you borrowed two hundred thousand dollars from someone whose name you don't know?""
"I dealt with his representative.""
"Who?""
Daniel stopped.
"Vanessa.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"So Vanessa arranged the loans, sold my diamond, changed my beneficiary documents, and filed a claim against my house?""
He looked at me.
"She was supposed to help me.""
"You're blaming her?""
"I'm telling you she pushed things too far.""
For the first time, I saw something resembling fear in his eyes.
"Daniel, did you know she planned to take the house?""
He looked away.
Then he said quietly, "I didn't know she intended to keep it.""
I stared at him.
"Keep it?""
He nodded.
"She told me the property would be used as temporary security. Once I paid the lenders, we'd remove the claim.""
"And what did she get?""
He swallowed.
"She wanted a share.""
"Of the house?""
"Yes.""
I almost dropped the envelope.
Before I could speak, Daniel's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
The caller ID displayed one word.
VANESSA.
He declined the call.
It rang again.
This time he answered.
"What?""
I watched his expression change.
Then he turned away.
"How did you find out?""
A pause.
"No, she doesn't have the documents.""
Another pause.
Then his voice dropped.
"Vanessa, you promised me the house would be mine after the wedding.""
I stopped breathing.
He listened for several seconds.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Wait. What do you mean the buyer is coming tonight?""
He ended the call.
I stared at him.
"Who is coming?""
Daniel looked at me.
May you like
And for the first time since our engagement, he didn't look like my fiancé.
He looked like a man who had just discovered he was no longer in control of the situation.
