Chapter 6: The Betrayal Inside My Own Family
I called my sister immediately.
"Danielle, where are you?""
"At home. Why?""
"Did you witness a loan agreement for Nia?""
Silence.
Then she said:
"What?""
I looked at the document.
"Your name is on a loan agreement involving my house and Mom's cottage.""
"Marcus, I have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Your signature is right here.""
"Send it to me.""
I forwarded the document.
A few seconds passed.
Then my phone rang.
Danielle was crying.
"Marcus, that's not my signature.""
I closed my eyes.
"Are you sure?""
"Yes! I've never seen this document.""
"Did you sign anything for Nia?""
"No.""
"Did you ever go to the cottage with her?""
Danielle hesitated.
"Yes. Once.""
"When?""
"About six weeks ago.""
I walked toward the window.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought she was helping Mom.""
"What happened?""
Danielle took a shaky breath.
"She asked me to come along because she wanted someone else there while she took pictures of the property. She said Mom was worried about the insurance valuation.""
"And?""
"She had some papers. She asked me to sign a visitor acknowledgment.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What did it say?""
"I don't remember exactly. It was something about confirming I had been present during the inspection.""
"Did you sign it?""
"Yes.""
"Did you read it?""
"I read the first page. It was only one page.""
I looked at the document again.
The loan agreement contained a witness statement identifying Danielle as someone who had observed the parties execute the contract.
But the document was dated differently.
It had been altered.
"Danielle, I need you to find anything Nia gave you that day.""
"Okay.""
"And don't speak to her about this.""
"Marcus, what is happening?""
I looked at the forged signatures.
"I think someone is trying to make it look like our family agreed to something we never agreed to.""
My sister began crying harder.
"Mom is going to be devastated.""
I swallowed.
"That's why we have to be careful.""
I ended the call.
Then I opened the document again.
At the bottom was a notary stamp.
The name was unfamiliar.
But the address belonged to a small office less than ten minutes from our house.
I sent the information to Robert.
He replied almost immediately.
Do not contact the notary yourself. I'll arrange verification through the appropriate channels.
I stared at the screen.
This wasn't just an argument between a husband and wife.
Someone had created documents.
Someone had imitated signatures.
Someone had attempted to move money and property.
And my sister's name had been dragged into it.
I went to the bedroom and opened the safe.
Inside were our passports, original mortgage documents, insurance papers, and several family records.
I checked the folder containing the original deed.
It was missing.
I searched the safe again.
Nothing.
I checked the filing cabinet.
Nothing.
Then I remembered the day Nia had asked me to reorganize the paperwork.
She had offered to scan everything into digital files.
I had handed her the folder.
That was four months earlier.
I called Robert.
"The original deed is missing.""
"From where?""
"Our home safe.""
"Was the safe accessed recently?""
"I don't know.""
"Change the access code immediately. Then make a list of every missing document.""
I did.
When I returned to the kitchen, my phone rang.
Nia.
I stared at the screen.
For a moment, I considered ignoring it.
Then I answered.
"Hello.""
"Marcus, we need to talk.""
"About what?""
"About your behavior.""
I closed my eyes.
"My behavior?""
"Yes. You're contacting lawyers, freezing accounts, and dragging my name through the mud.""
I looked at the documents on the counter.
"Why did you forge my signature?""
Silence.
Then she laughed.
"What?""
"You heard me.""
"Marcus, you're becoming paranoid.""
"Why is there a loan agreement for $191,000 with my name on it?""
"I don't know.""
"Why is Danielle listed as a witness?""
"I don't know.""
"Why is Derek's company listed as the lender?""
She exhaled sharply.
"You're making accusations you can't prove.""
I leaned against the counter.
"I have the documents.""
"Documents can be manipulated.""
"Then explain them.""
She was quiet.
Then her voice softened.
"Marcus, listen to me. Derek and I were trying to solve a financial problem.""
I froze.
It was the first time she had admitted they were working together.
"What financial problem?""
"It's complicated.""
"Try me.""
She sighed.
"Derek invested in a property development. Things went wrong. He needed money to keep the project from collapsing.""
"And you decided to use our home?""
"I was trying to protect everyone.""
"By borrowing against my house without telling me?""
"You would have said no.""
"Yes.""
"Exactly!""
Her voice rose.
"You never listen. You always put your mother first. Every decision has to revolve around her.""
I stared at the wall.
"Did you take eleven thousand dollars from my mother?""
She didn't answer.
"Nia?""
"She offered to help.""
"Did you tell her you would repay it?""
"Yes.""
"Did you?""
Silence.
I gripped the counter.
"Did you?""
"No.""
The answer was barely audible.
"Where did the money go?""
"To Derek.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
"Because he needed it.""
"And the money from our savings?""
"Some of it went toward the same project.""
I felt sick.
"How much?""
"Marcus—"
"How much?""
"Seven thousand.""
"And the credit card charges?""
She said nothing.
I continued.
"The jewelry. The hotel. The consulting company. How much did you spend?""
"You're acting like I stole from you.""
"Did you?""
She began crying.
Not quietly.
Not softly.
She cried the way people cried when they wanted to stop a conversation before the truth became unbearable.
"Marcus, I love you.""
I didn't answer.
"I've been under so much pressure. Derek promised everything would work out.""
I stared at the photograph of my mother.
"Why did you involve her?""
"I didn't mean to hurt Evelyn.""
"You told her she was irresponsible for needing two hundred dollars.""
"I was angry.""
"You tried to sell her cottage.""
"I was trying to save it!""
"From what?""
She broke down again.
Then she said:
"Marcus, you don't understand what Derek owes.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"More than two hundred thousand.""
I sat down.
Two hundred thousand dollars.
That was why the spreadsheet showed $276,000.
That was why they wanted the house and the cottage.
They weren't building an investment.
They were trying to cover a debt.
"Who does he owe?""
Nia didn't answer.
"Who?""
She whispered:
"Private lenders.""
I looked at the clock.
"Are they threatening him?""
She began crying harder.
"Marcus, please don't make this worse.""
I stood.
"Did you use my mother's property to secure his debt?""
"I didn't think they would actually take it.""
"That's not an answer.""
"I thought we could refinance everything before anyone noticed.""
I stared at the phone.
There was nothing left to misunderstand.
"Did you forge my signature?""
She became quiet.
Then she said:
"I signed some documents.""
"Using my name?""
"I was going to tell you.""
"When?""
"When everything was fixed.""
I swallowed.
"Did you forge my mother's signature?""
She didn't answer.
I repeated the question.
Finally, she whispered:
"I didn't do everything myself.""
My blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?""
She started speaking quickly.
"Derek handled the paperwork. He said the documents were already authorized. I thought everything was legitimate.""
"Then why did you tell me you signed them?""
"I was trying to protect him.""
I closed my eyes.
"From what?""
She didn't answer.
Then I heard a man's voice in the background.
"Nia, hang up.""
It was Derek.
I recognized his voice from the old family video recordings.
Nia lowered her voice.
"Marcus, I have to go.""
"Wait.""
But she had already disconnected.
I stood in the kitchen, holding the phone.
Then a text message appeared.
It was from an unknown number.
Mr. Carter, we need to discuss the outstanding balance associated with Derek Lawson.
Another message followed.
Your wife's name is on the agreement.
Then a third.
If you want to protect your mother, you should find out what she signed.
I immediately forwarded the messages to Robert.
He called me.
"Marcus, don't respond.""
"Who are these people?""
"We're investigating the lender information.""
"Are they threatening my mother?""
"I can't determine that from these messages alone. But I want you to make sure she is somewhere safe.""
I called Danielle.
"Take Mom somewhere else for tonight.""
"What's happened?""
"Someone just contacted me about Derek's debt.""
She went silent.
"Are they coming after Mom?""
"I don't know. Just keep her with you.""
"Okay.""
I hung up.
Then I heard a knock at the front door.
I looked through the security camera.
A man in a gray jacket stood on the porch.
He was holding a large brown envelope.
I opened the intercom.
"Can I help you?""
"Are you Marcus Carter?""
"Who wants to know?""
"My name is Peter Lawson.""
I froze.
"Lawson?""
"I'm Derek's older brother.""
I unlocked the door but kept the security chain on.
Peter looked exhausted.
He was in his late forties, with gray at his temples and dark circles beneath his eyes.
"Can I speak with you?""
"What do you want?""
He held up the envelope.
"To give you something before my brother destroys another family.""
I didn't move.
Peter looked directly at me.
"Your wife has been lying to you. But she's not the person who started this.""
I stared at him.
"What are you talking about?""
He lowered his voice.
"Derek has been running this scheme for years. Nia isn't his first partner.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
Peter pushed the envelope through the gap.
Inside were bank records, property documents, and photographs.
I opened the first photograph.
It showed Derek standing beside a woman outside a suburban house.
The second showed him with another woman at a property office.
The third showed him beside Nia.
Each photograph had a date.
Each woman appeared to be holding property documents.
Peter watched my face.
"How many families?""
I asked.
He looked down.
"At least four that I know about.""
I opened the envelope further.
There was a printed list of names.
Beside each name was a property address and an amount.
The final entry was dated only three weeks earlier.
It contained my mother's name.
Evelyn Carter.
The amount was $190,000.
I looked up.
"Why are you giving me this?""
Peter swallowed.
"Because Derek used my identity too.""
I frowned.
"What?""
He pulled out another document.
It showed a loan application with his name.
His signature.
And a debt he had never agreed to.
"He ruined my credit, Marcus. He took money from my retirement account. And when I confronted him, he told me I would never prove anything.""
I looked at the papers.
"Why didn't you go to the police?""
"I did.""
"What happened?""
"He disappeared before they could locate him.""
Peter glanced over his shoulder.
Then he stepped closer.
"There's one more thing you need to know.""
"What?""
He pointed to the final document.
It was a copy of an agreement involving my mother's cottage.
At the bottom was a handwritten note.
Transfer must be completed before Evelyn discovers the beneficiary.
I looked at the beneficiary section.
The name wasn't Derek Lawson.
It wasn't Nia Carter.
It was someone else.
Someone I had known my entire life.
*Danielle Carter.*
I looked up sharply.
Peter shook his head.
"Marcus, I don't think your sister is working with them.""
"Then why is her name here?""
"Because Derek told me something before he disappeared.""
"What?""
Peter looked directly into my eyes.
"He said Danielle was the only person who could stop the transfer.""
I stared at the document.
Then Peter delivered the final blow.
"Your grandfather left something in your sister's name. Something Nia and Derek have been trying to get for years.""
And suddenly, I understood why my wife had been so interested in my family.
She hadn't simply wanted our house.
She had been looking for something my grandfather had deliberately hidden.
Something worth far more than the money they were trying to steal.
I looked at Peter.
"What did my grandfather leave Danielle?""
Peter opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, my phone rang.
Danielle.
I answered immediately.
Her voice was trembling.
"Marcus, you need to come here.""
"What's wrong?""
"Mom just remembered where Grandpa hid the original agreement.""
"Where?""
She began crying.
"Inside the cottage.""
I gripped the phone.
"Okay. Stay there. Don't touch anything.""
Then she whispered:
"Marcus, Nia is here.""
My blood turned cold.
"How did she find you?""
"I don't know.""
I heard a loud crash through the phone.
May you like
Then my mother screamed.
And the call disconnected.
