Chapter 4: The House My Wife Was Planning to Buy
For several seconds, I thought I had misunderstood her.
"What house?""
Denise pressed her lips together.
Jordan looked from her to me.
"Mom, what are you talking about?""
She walked to the dining table and sat down.
"I was going to explain.""
"When?"" I asked.
"After you sold this house?""
She shook her head.
"Don't be dramatic.""
I placed my phone on the table.
"Where did the eighteen thousand five hundred dollars go?""
She stared at her hands.
"I found a property.""
"What property?""
"A townhouse.""
"Where?""
"About forty minutes from here.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
She looked up.
"Because I wanted somewhere that belonged to us.""
I let out a slow breath.
"This house belongs to us.""
"No, it doesn't.""
Her voice trembled.
"Every room has something connected to Angela. Maya's bedroom is practically a shrine. You won't let me change anything because you think moving a picture will somehow hurt your daughter.""
I looked toward the stairs.
"Angela died eleven years ago.""
"I know that!""
"Then why are you competing with someone who isn't here?""
Denise stood.
"Because she's still here, Marcus!""
Her voice echoed through the room.
"Her photographs are here. Her clothes are here. Her memories are here. And you never let me forget that she was your first wife!""
I stared at her.
Then I spoke quietly.
"She was Maya's mother.""
Denise wiped her eyes angrily.
"And what am I supposed to be?""
I didn't answer immediately.
I had once thought Denise was a woman who understood what it meant to join a family that had experienced loss.
Now I wondered whether she had ever accepted that family at all.
Jordan pulled out a chair.
"Mom, why didn't you tell us about the townhouse?""
Denise looked at him.
"Because I wanted to surprise you.""
"With what money?""
She didn't answer.
I picked up my phone again.
"Who owns the property?""
Denise shook her head.
"I haven't bought it.""
"Then why is there a deposit?""
"To secure it.""
"Under whose name?""
She looked away.
I opened the banking app and checked the transaction reference.
The recipient details showed a property company.
I called the bank.
After a short security process, a representative confirmed the transfer.
The payment had gone to a real estate escrow account.
The representative couldn't disclose the other party's personal information, but she confirmed the transfer was marked as a property reservation deposit.
I ended the call.
"Did you use my authorization?""
Denise frowned.
"It was a joint account.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
"You gave me access.""
"Access isn't permission to empty the account.""
She folded her arms.
"I was going to put the money back.""
"When?""
"When things settled down.""
I laughed once.
"Things settled down?""
I pointed toward the stairs.
"My daughter was packing her suitcase because you ordered her out of the house. And you've been moving money around behind my back.""
Denise's eyes flashed.
"She was supposed to leave anyway!""
Jordan stood.
"Mom, stop saying that.""
She turned toward him.
"You have no idea how difficult it has been living with her.""
Jordan shook his head.
"She's barely home. She works all day.""
"She makes me feel like an outsider.""
"How?""
Denise didn't answer.
Jordan looked at me.
"Marcus, can I tell you something?""
I nodded.
He took a breath.
"Last month, Mom asked me whether I would be willing to move into the townhouse.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"She said it would be a fresh start. She said Brianna and I could have our own rooms.""
I looked at Denise.
"And Maya?""
Jordan hesitated.
"She said Maya wouldn't be coming.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why not?""
Jordan looked uncomfortable.
"She said Maya could afford her own place.""
I turned toward Denise.
"So this wasn't just about getting Maya to leave.""
Denise didn't respond.
"You were planning to move your children into another property.""
"Not my children. Our children.""
"Where would I fit into this plan?""
She looked at me.
"You could come too.""
I stared at her.
"Could I?""
She sighed.
"Marcus, you know I love you.""
"Then why did you plan a move without telling me?""
"Because you would have said no.""
I nodded slowly.
At least she was finally being honest.
She continued.
"I wanted somewhere we could start fresh. Somewhere Maya wasn't constantly reminding everybody that she was here first.""
Jordan shook his head.
"Mom, that's horrible.""
Denise snapped.
"Don't judge me!""
He stood up.
"I'm not judging you. I'm asking why you lied to everybody.""
She turned toward me.
"You've always made it impossible for me to have a voice in this marriage.""
I looked at her.
"You're allowed to have a voice. You're not allowed to secretly take money from our savings or pressure my daughter into funding your plans.""
Denise sat down heavily.
For the first time, she looked frightened.
I pulled out a chair.
"How much money have you moved?""
"I told you.""
"No. You told me about one transfer.""
She remained silent.
I opened the banking app and began reviewing the transaction history.
There were several smaller transfers over the previous year.
Some went to Denise's personal account.
Others went to credit card companies.
One was labeled as a legal consultation.
I pointed to it.
"What was this?""
She looked at the screen.
"Nothing.""
"Why did you pay a lawyer?""
"I needed advice.""
"About what?""
She shook her head.
"Something personal.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Was it about the townhouse?""
"No.""
"Then what?""
She looked toward Jordan.
"Not in front of him.""
Jordan stood.
"I've heard enough.""
He walked toward the door.
Denise called after him.
"Jordan!""
He stopped.
"I'll call you later, Mom.""
Then he turned toward me.
"Marcus, I'm sorry.""
I nodded.
He left.
Denise watched him go.
When the front door closed, she turned toward me.
"Are you happy now?""
I looked at her.
"No.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"You're going to destroy this marriage over a few mistakes.""
"A few mistakes?""
"Yes!""
I stood.
"Denise, you tried to make my daughter homeless. You took money from her. You lied to Jordan.
You emptied our emergency savings. And you arranged to buy another house without telling me.""
Her lips trembled.
"I was trying to make things better.""
"For whom?""
She didn't answer.
I walked toward the hallway.
"I need to speak to Maya.""
Denise suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Marcus, wait.""
I looked down at her hand.
She released me.
Then she said something I wasn't prepared to hear.
"There's a reason I wanted Maya out before the end of this month.""
I turned slowly.
"What reason?""
She swallowed.
Then reached into the side pocket of her handbag.
She pulled out a folded document.
And placed it on the table.
I opened it.
It was a copy of a legal notice.
The date was three weeks earlier.
The heading read:
*NOTICE OF INTENDED PROPERTY TRANSFER.*
I read the names.
My name.
Denise's name.
And a third name.
Maya Bennett.
I looked up.
"Why is my daughter's name on this?""
Denise's eyes filled.
"Because she's the reason I couldn't complete the purchase.""
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
She looked toward the staircase.
May you like
Then whispered:
"Because Angela left something behind that you never told me about.""
