Chapter 3: The Name on the Transfer
I read the name again.
Eleanor Hayes.
My mother.
For eleven months, she had refused to answer my calls.
She had ignored my birthday.
She hadn't even sent a message when I underwent surgery the previous winter.
Now her name was attached to a $2.4 million transfer from my trust.
“That's impossible,” I whispered.
Daniel pulled out another chair.
“Denise, I recommend you sit down.””
Marcus immediately seized the opportunity.
“See? This is what I've been trying to tell you. There's a reasonable explanation.””
I looked at him.
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Vanessa slowly moved away from the table.
“I'm going to leave.””
Marcus turned sharply.
“Sit down.””
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
She grabbed her handbag.
“You told me you were separated.””
“I never said that.””
“You said Denise was only staying in the house because of the business.””
I felt something cold settle in my stomach.
Marcus looked at me.
“Don't listen to her.””
Vanessa continued.
“You said the divorce papers were already being prepared.””
I stared at him.
“Divorce papers?””
He stepped closer.
“Denise, this isn't the time.””
“When were you planning to tell me?””
He lowered his voice.
“Not in front of everyone.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Can you give us a moment?””
Daniel nodded and stepped into the hallway.
Vanessa remained standing.
I pointed toward the empty chair.
“Sit down, Vanessa.””
She hesitated.
Then she sat.
I folded my hands.
“How long?””
She stared at the tablecloth.
“About fourteen months.””
Fourteen months.
My mind went immediately to the previous summer.
The summer Marcus had started taking weekend business trips.
The summer he had stopped coming to bed before midnight.
The summer he had told me I was becoming clingy because I asked him to have dinner with me twice a week.
“Where did you meet him?””
“At a property conference in Chicago.””
“Did you know he was married?””
She didn't answer.
“Vanessa.””
“Yes.””
The word was barely audible.
I nodded slowly.
“Did you know he was married to me?””
She looked up.
“Yes.””
That answer hurt more than I expected.
Not because I thought she owed me loyalty.
But because she had been sitting in my home, drinking my wine, wearing a bracelet bought with money from my husband's company, and looking at me as though I were the inconvenience.
“Why did you agree to come today?”” I asked.
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
“Marcus told me he wanted to make an announcement.””
“What announcement?””
“He said he was going to introduce me as his future wife.””
My throat tightened.
“He planned to announce that at our anniversary dinner?””
“He said you already knew the marriage was over.””
I looked toward the hallway.
Marcus was standing just beyond the doorway, pretending not to listen.
I raised my voice.
“Marcus, come here.””
He appeared.
“What's going on?””
“Did you invite Vanessa here to announce your divorce?””
He exhaled.
“I was going to explain everything.””
“After serving the turkey?””
“Don't be sarcastic.””
Vanessa gave a small, disbelieving laugh.
“You told me she had agreed.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“Stop talking.””
She stood.
“No. I'm done being told when to speak.””
She reached into her handbag and removed her phone.
“I have the messages.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“Put that away.””
Vanessa unlocked the screen.
“Would you like me to read them?””
He took a step toward her.
I moved between them.
“Don't.””
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Vanessa handed me the phone.
The first message was dated three weeks earlier.
Marcus: Denise won't be a problem. She knows the marriage has been over for years.
Another message followed.
Marcus: The company is practically mine. Once the transfer clears, I'll have enough to start over.
Then another.
Marcus: I just need you to be patient. The anniversary dinner is the perfect time.
I scrolled.
My fingers became cold.
Marcus: She won't make a scene. She's too afraid of losing the lifestyle.
I looked up.
“Is that what you think of me?””
Marcus rubbed his jaw.
“You're taking private messages out of context.””
I handed the phone back to Vanessa.
“What context makes that acceptable?””
He didn't answer.
Daniel returned from the hallway.
“Denise, I contacted the bank's fraud department. They've confirmed the transfer was flagged because the authorization didn't match the usual verification pattern.””
Marcus stiffened.
Daniel continued.
“They've temporarily frozen the remaining funds.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You had no authority to do that.””
Daniel placed his briefcase on the table.
“Your wife's trustees authorized the review.””
“My wife doesn't understand how this works.””
I looked at him.
“That's an interesting assumption.””
He ignored me.
“Daniel, I want you to leave.””
Daniel opened his briefcase again.
“I can't do that yet.””
“Why?””
“Because I have one more document.””
He removed a printed email.
The sender was Marcus.
The recipient was my mother.
The subject line read:
*OUR AGREEMENT — FINAL PAYMENT*
I looked at the date.
It had been sent two months earlier.
My hands began to shake.
Daniel placed it in front of me.
The email contained only a few sentences.
Eleanor, the first payment has been completed. The remaining balance will be released once Denise signs the revised authorization. You promised you would convince her to approve the paperwork.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Marcus.
“You were paying my mother?””
He said nothing.
“For what?””
Daniel answered.
“That's what I was hoping we could establish.””
I turned back to the email.
At the bottom was an attachment.
A scanned document.
My mother's signature appeared beneath a paragraph confirming receipt of a payment.
But the paragraph above it made my stomach turn.
It stated that Eleanor Hayes had agreed to provide Marcus with confidential information concerning the original ownership of Westbridge.
My mother had been the person who introduced us.
She had told me Marcus was ambitious, hardworking, and trustworthy.
She had encouraged me to give him a chance when he was still building his company.
Now I was looking at a document suggesting that she had been helping him take control of mine.
“Why?”” I whispered.
Marcus finally spoke.
“Your mother wanted what was best for you.””
I looked at him.
“Don't use her to excuse yourself.””
He stepped closer.
“Denise, listen to me. Your mother and I had an arrangement.””
“What arrangement?””
He hesitated.
Then Vanessa's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
A new message had appeared.
Her face turned pale.
“Marcus?””
He closed his eyes.
“What?””
She held up the screen.
“Your lawyer just texted me.””
I frowned.
“Why would your lawyer be texting Vanessa?””
Marcus reached for the phone.
She pulled it away.
The message was short.
Do not come to the office tomorrow. The board has requested an emergency meeting. Your access has been suspended.
Vanessa looked at him.
“What have you done?””
Marcus said nothing.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He answered, listened for several seconds, and looked directly at me.
“Denise,” he said quietly, “there's something else you need to know.””
“What?””
“The board didn't request an emergency meeting.””
He glanced at Marcus.
May you like
“Your husband did.””
And according to the notice Daniel had just received, the meeting was scheduled to remove me from the company entirely.
