Chapter 4: The Hidden Agreement
The question sat between us.
"Then what is she listed as?""
Nobody moved.
Not even the rain seemed loud anymore.
Marlene looked back at the document on her screen.
Her finger hovered over the page.
"Kendra, before I say anything, I need to ask you something.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"Did you ever sign a roommate agreement with Jasmine?""
I shook my head immediately.
"No.""
"Did you ever give her permission to represent herself as more than a roommate?""
"No.""
Dale stepped closer.
"What exactly are you seeing?""
Marlene turned the monitor so everyone could see.
At the top of the document were two names.
Mine.
And Jasmine's.
But underneath the names was a title.
A title that made my chest go cold.
*Occupancy Transfer Agreement.*
I stared at it.
"I don't understand.""
Marlene clicked to the next page.
"This isn't a normal roommate agreement.""
My mom leaned closer.
"What does it mean?""
Marlene took a breath.
"It means someone was attempting to establish Jasmine as a replacement tenant.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
Replacement tenant.
Not roommate.
Not friend.
Not someone helping me.
Someone trying to take my place.
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
Dale looked at me.
"Why?""
"Because she couldn't just do that.""
Marlene nodded.
"Normally, no.""
She pointed at the screen.
"But this document was submitted with supporting information.""
"What information?""
She scrolled.
"Income details. Employment verification. And a statement claiming the current tenant planned to leave after the lease term.""
My face went numb.
"I never said I was leaving.""
Dale looked at me.
"Did you tell her you were thinking about moving?""
I opened my mouth.
Then stopped.
Because I remembered.
A month earlier, sitting on the couch after a long day, I had complained.
"I don't know if I can afford this place forever.""
"I might move somewhere cheaper.""
"I don't know what I'm doing after this lease.""
I had said those things.
But saying them wasn't a decision.
And it definitely wasn't permission.
"She knew I was stressed," I whispered.
Dale nodded.
"And she used it.""
My mom looked hurt.
"Why would someone do that?""
Nobody answered.
Because sometimes the answer was worse than the question.
Because sometimes people didn't need a good reason.
They just needed an opportunity.
Marlene looked at the document again.
"There is something else.""
I almost laughed.
Of course there was.
"What now?""
She pointed lower on the page.
"This section says the current tenant agreed to transfer rights after renewal.""
My heart dropped.
"Agreed?""
"Yes.""
"I didn't.""
Marlene looked at the signature.
"I understand.""
Dale leaned forward.
"Is that her signature?""
Marlene zoomed in.
"No.""
A small wave of relief passed through me.
Then she continued.
"But it appears to be an electronic authorization.""
My relief disappeared.
"What does that mean?""
"It means whoever submitted this used access connected to your account.""
I looked at my phone.
My email.
My saved passwords.
My accounts.
Everything suddenly felt exposed.
Dale's voice became quiet.
"Kendra.""
I looked at him.
"You need to change every password you have.""
I nodded.
But I couldn't stop staring at the document.
Because the worst part wasn't that Jasmine wanted the apartment.
The worst part was that she had known exactly where to look.
She knew my doubts.
She knew my struggles.
She knew I trusted her.
And she turned all of that into paperwork.
My mom put her hand on my shoulder.
"Baby.""
I looked at her.
"I feel stupid.""
Her face softened.
"You shouldn't.""
"I should have noticed.""
Dale looked at me.
"Noticing betrayal isn't the same as causing it.""
I looked away.
Because that sounded like something I needed to hear.
But I wasn't ready to accept it.
Marlene closed the document.
"I need to ask one more thing.""
"What?""
"Did Jasmine ever pay you rent directly?""
I frowned.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Five hundred a month.""
Marlene looked at the file.
"And did you report her as an occupant?""
I hesitated.
The silence answered for me.
Dale looked surprised.
"Kendra.""
"I didn't think it mattered.""
The words sounded familiar.
Because they were almost the same words Jasmine had said.
I didn't think it mattered.
Dale looked down.
Not angry.
Just disappointed.
"I told you about responsibility.""
"I know.""
"No, I don't think you did.""
My eyes burned.
"I made a mistake.""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
The honesty hurt.
But he wasn't attacking me.
He was telling the truth.
"You made a mistake.""
He looked at the paperwork.
"But someone else made a choice.""
I swallowed.
My mom squeezed my shoulder.
Marlene printed several pages.
"Here's what we need to do.""
She handed them over.
"First, we document that you did not authorize this transfer.""
I nodded.
"Second, we remove Jasmine's access from your account.""
"Okay.""
"Third, we review the occupancy issue.""
I looked up.
"The roommate?""
"Yes.""
My stomach sank.
"Can I get in trouble?""
Marlene didn't answer immediately.
That scared me more.
"I need to be honest. The lease requires all occupants to be properly listed.""
I nodded slowly.
"So I broke the rules.""
"You failed to update information," she said carefully.
"There's a difference.""
Dale looked at her.
"Can she lose the apartment?""
Marlene looked at him.
"Not automatically.""
I noticed something.
The way he asked.
He was still worried about me.
Even after everything.
Even after what I had said.
Even after I had made him feel like a stranger.
He was still standing there trying to protect me.
And suddenly, I felt ashamed all over again.
"Dale.""
He looked at me.
"I'm sorry.""
The words came out quietly.
He didn't react.
Maybe because he wasn't expecting them.
Maybe because he had heard apologies before.
I continued.
"I shouldn't have said that.""
He looked at the floor.
"Which part?""
I swallowed.
"All of it.""
A long silence followed.
Then he nodded.
"Thank you for saying it.""
It wasn't forgiveness.
Not yet.
But it was something.
A small opening.
A chance.
My phone buzzed.
Everyone looked down.
A message appeared on the screen.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
But then I saw the preview.
*Kendra, we need to talk before you ruin everything.*
My heart stopped.
I opened it.
There were three more messages.
*You don't understand what you're doing.*
*Dale is making you choose sides.*
*Call me before you hear the wrong version.*
I stared at the screen.
Dale noticed my expression.
"Who is it?""
I didn't answer.
Because another message appeared.
This one with a photo attached.
My fingers went cold.
I opened it.
It was a picture of a document.
A document I had never seen before.
A document with my name on it.
And Jasmine's.
But this wasn't the transfer agreement.
This was something else.
Something that explained why she believed she had a right to my apartment.
I zoomed in.
At the bottom was a signature.
Not electronic.
Not typed.
A real signature.
My signature.
My blood ran cold.
Because I recognized the handwriting.
I had written it.
But I didn't remember signing it.
Dale stepped closer.
"Kendra?""
I couldn't speak.
My mom looked over my shoulder.
"What is that?""
I finally whispered:
"I don't know.""
Dale took the phone from my hand carefully.
He studied the picture.
Then his face changed.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
"You've seen this before?""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He stared at the document.
"I've seen this signature.""
My heart started racing.
"Where?""
Dale looked at me.
And for the first time that morning, he looked genuinely afraid.
"Because this isn't the first time someone tried to use your name.""
He handed the phone back.
"Kendra...""
May you like
His voice dropped.
"There is something about your first lease application that nobody told you.""
