Chapter 2: The Money He Stole From Our Daughters
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
The terminal continued moving around me.
Suitcase wheels rattled over the polished floor. A child laughed somewhere near the entrance. An announcement echoed from the ceiling.
But all I could hear was Rebecca repeating the number.
Sixty-two thousand dollars.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Tyler rubbed his forehead.
"Emily, let me explain.""
I looked at him.
"Did you take money from my father's account?""
"No.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Seriously, Tyler?""
He turned toward her.
"Not another word.""
She raised both hands.
"Fine. But don't expect me to take the blame for everything.""
Michael motioned toward a quieter area near the terminal windows.
"Let's move this conversation somewhere private.""
I followed him.
A few minutes later, we were seated in a small administrative office overlooking the harbor.
My daughters were finally quiet.
Piper slept in her carrier. Poppy lay beside her, staring at the ceiling with wide blue eyes.
I sat across from Tyler.
Rebecca placed several documents on the table.
Michael remained standing near the door.
Vanessa was seated beside the attorney, her designer sunglasses resting on the table.
I looked at Rebecca.
"Please tell me exactly what happened.""
Rebecca folded her hands.
"Your husband had access to certain employee reimbursement systems. During the investigation, we discovered several transactions that appeared to have been routed through accounts associated with a business called Carter Hospitality Solutions.""
"That's Tyler's company?""
"According to the registration documents, yes.""
Tyler shook his head.
"I didn't create that company.""
Rebecca slid a document toward him.
"Your electronic signature appears on the registration.""
"I didn't sign it.""
"Then we will need to determine how it was obtained.""
I looked at the name printed beneath the company logo.
Carter Hospitality Solutions.
I'd never heard of it.
"Where does my father's money come into this?""
Rebecca opened another folder.
"We traced several transfers from an account jointly held by you and your husband.""
I stared at her.
"Jointly held?""
Tyler looked down.
I felt my stomach tighten.
My father, Robert Hayes, had died two years before my wedding.
He had owned a small construction company in Fort Lauderdale. It wasn't a massive business, but he'd spent thirty years building it, often working weekends and skipping vacations to make sure his employees were paid.
When he died, he left me an inheritance.
Most of it was invested.
The rest went into a savings account.
He had told me to keep it separate from my marriage.
"Your father worked too hard for this money to disappear," he'd said.
At the time, I'd laughed.
"Dad, Tyler loves me.""
My father had looked at me for a long moment.
"I hope he does, sweetheart. But love and money should never have to share a password.""
I'd thought he was being unnecessarily cautious.
After I married Tyler, I kept the account separate.
Or at least, I thought I had.
"Tyler," I said slowly, "how did you get access?""
He rubbed his palms together.
"I was trying to help.""
"Help with what?""
"The girls. The house. Everything.""
I stared at him.
"You haven't paid a single medical bill since I gave birth.""
"I was going to.""
"When?""
He exhaled sharply.
"Emily, you're twisting everything.""
Rebecca interrupted.
"Mr. Carter, the transactions began four months ago.""
I turned toward her.
Four months.
Piper and Poppy had been one month old.
I remembered that period vividly.
Poppy had been struggling with reflux. Piper had developed a mild respiratory infection. I had spent three nights sleeping in the nursery chair because I was terrified of missing a change in their breathing.
And Tyler had been telling me the ship's internet was unreliable.
Rebecca continued.
"The first transfer was $8,500. The second was $12,000. The remaining transactions occurred over the following weeks.""
"Where did the money go?""
"Some went into the company account. Some went to a private account registered to Vanessa Reed.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
She was staring at the documents.
"Why did you take my money?""
She looked up.
"I didn't take anything.""
"Sixty-two thousand dollars came out of my account and went into yours.""
"Tyler transferred it.""
"Why?""
She shrugged.
"Ask your husband.""
I did.
"Tyler?""
He leaned forward.
"Emily, I needed the money temporarily.""
"For what?""
"I was investing.""
"In what?""
He hesitated.
Rebecca answered.
"Some of the funds appear to have been used for travel expenses, luxury purchases, and payments connected to the business under investigation.""
I looked at Tyler.
"You stole from me to pay for her?""
"That's not what happened.""
"Then explain the designer clothes. The hotels. The restaurants.""
He glanced at Vanessa.
"She was helping me build connections.""
I stared at him.
"Connections?""
He looked frustrated.
"Do you know what it's like working on a cruise ship? Everyone expects you to entertain important guests. You have to maintain relationships.""
"Was kissing her part of maintaining relationships?""
He slammed his hand against the table.
"Can you stop making everything about the affair?""
The sound made Poppy startle.
Her little mouth opened.
Then she began crying.
I immediately picked her up.
Tyler looked irritated.
"See? This is why we can't have a normal conversation.""
I slowly turned toward him.
"You just shouted in front of your three-month-old daughter, and somehow I'm the problem?""
He looked away.
Rebecca waited until I had settled Poppy again.
"Emily, there's another issue.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She removed a printed email from the folder.
"Someone submitted a change-of-beneficiary request for your savings account.""
My heart stopped.
"What does that mean?""
"Your account was supposed to remain under your sole control. The request would have added another authorized party.""
"Who?""
Rebecca glanced at Tyler.
"Tyler Carter.""
I felt cold.
"When?""
"Three weeks ago.""
Three weeks ago.
I remembered receiving a notification from my bank about a document requiring additional verification.
Tyler had told me it was probably related to the mortgage.
I'd been exhausted, holding a baby in each arm, and trying to prepare for a pediatric appointment.
He had said he'd handle it.
I had trusted him.
"Did it go through?"" I asked.
"No," Rebecca replied.
"The bank flagged the request because the signature didn't match the original account documents.""
I closed my eyes.
My father had saved that money for me.
And I had nearly handed it over because I was too tired to question my husband.
Tyler leaned forward.
"Emily, I was trying to protect our family's future.""
I looked at him.
"Our family's future?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
He rubbed his face.
"Because you wouldn't understand.""
I laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
"You've been sleeping with another woman, stealing money, and creating a company in your name. But I'm the one who wouldn't understand?""
Vanessa shifted in her chair.
"Can we please stop pretending this is some great love story? Tyler was lonely. I was there. That's all.""
I turned toward her.
"Did you know he was married?""
She hesitated.
Then she smiled.
"Of course.""
"Did you know I was pregnant?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know he had twin daughters?""
She glanced at the carriers.
"Obviously.""
I swallowed.
"And you still chose to be with him?""
Vanessa shrugged.
"Your marriage wasn't my responsibility.""
"No," I said.
"But your decisions were.""
For the first time, she didn't have an immediate answer.
Michael stepped forward.
"Vanessa, we need to return to the matter of the company accounts.""
She rolled her eyes.
"This is unbelievable. I'm not answering anything without my attorney.""
Rebecca nodded.
"That's your right.""
Tyler turned toward Michael.
"Can I speak to you privately?""
Michael didn't move.
"About what?""
"My job.""
Michael stared at him.
"Your employment status is currently under review.""
"Michael, I've worked for this company for six years.""
"And during those six years, you've had access to financial systems that are now part of an active investigation.""
"I built that department.""
"You also had responsibilities you may have violated.""
Tyler looked at me.
"Emily, tell him.""
I blinked.
"What?""
"Tell him I'm a good employee. You know how hard I've worked.""
I stared at the man who had missed the birth of his daughters.
The man who had kissed another woman in front of me.
The man who had used my inheritance without permission.
"Tyler, I don't know who you've been for the last five months.""
His face tightened.
"That's not fair.""
I looked down at Poppy.
"Neither was any of this.""
Michael escorted Tyler into the adjoining office.
Vanessa was taken to another room with Rebecca.
For the first time, I was alone.
I looked at my sleeping daughters.
Piper's tiny hand rested beside her cheek.
Poppy's eyelashes fluttered.
I kissed both their foreheads.
"I'm sorry, babies," I whispered.
"I'm so sorry.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*Emily, don't believe everything Michael Bennett tells you. Your husband isn't the only person hiding something.*
I stared at the screen.
A second message arrived.
*Ask him why he waited until today to tell you about the investigation.*
I looked toward the adjoining office.
Michael was standing inside, speaking quietly with Tyler.
Then he turned.
May you like
His eyes met mine through the glass.
And I realized that whoever had sent the message knew I was sitting in that room.
