Chapter 5: The Woman Who Wanted My House
I read the message three times.
Your father doesn't know the whole story. Ask him who really owns the house.
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except the air conditioner humming above my desk.
Maya stood beside me.
"Do you know who sent it?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Should I answer?""
"Absolutely not.""
I took a screenshot.
Then I asked her to show me the number.
It wasn't saved in her contacts.
I called my own phone from it.
The call went straight to voicemail.
I didn't leave a message.
Instead, I forwarded the screenshot to Daniel.
His reply came less than a minute later.
Do not engage with the sender. Bring the phone and all related documents to my office tomorrow.
I put Maya's phone on the desk.
"Has anyone else contacted you?""
She shook her head.
"Only Denise.""
"Has Denise ever asked you to sign anything else?""
"No.""
"Has she ever told you that the house belongs to her?""
Maya hesitated.
"She said you were going to make it fair.""
"Fair how?""
"She said because Jordan and Noah were your family now, they should have the same rights.""
I leaned back.
"Did she explain what that meant?""
Maya shook her head.
"She said the house would be divided between the boys eventually.""
I stared at her.
"Did she say anything about you?""
Maya looked down.
"She said I already had my mother's family.""
I closed my eyes.
I had heard enough.
"Go get some sleep, sweetheart.""
She didn't move.
"Dad?""
"Yes?""
"Are you going to be okay?""
I managed a small smile.
"I'll be fine.""
She walked toward the door.
Then she turned around.
"I love you.""
I swallowed.
"I love you more.""
After she left, I called Daniel again.
"Have you looked at the property company?""
"Which one?""
I gave him the name from the preliminary offer.
There was a pause.
"Marcus, that's interesting.""
"Why?""
"The company was registered less than six months ago.""
"Who owns it?""
"I'm checking.""
"Can you find out tonight?""
"I'll try.""
I ended the call and opened the email thread again.
There was something else I hadn't noticed.
The property consultant had asked Denise whether the proposed buyer would be prepared to move quickly.
Her response was:
Yes. The family situation is changing, and the property needs to be dealt with before Marcus changes his mind.
I felt my jaw tighten.
Before I could read further, I heard Denise coming down the hallway.
She entered without knocking.
"What are you doing?""
I closed the laptop halfway.
"Working.""
She looked at the papers scattered across my desk.
"Still?""
"Yes.""
She crossed her arms.
"We need to settle this tonight.""
I looked at her.
"What exactly do you want to settle?""
"The situation with Maya.""
I stood up.
"There is no situation with Maya.""
"Marcus, please.""
She stepped toward me.
"You're turning everything into an attack on me.""
I pointed toward the papers.
"Did you send these documents to a property consultant?""
She glanced at them.
Then her expression hardened.
"Where did you get those?""
"That's not an answer.""
"They're preliminary documents.""
"For selling my house?""
"Our house.""
I stared at her.
"The house is held in a trust for Maya.""
"Which you created before we got married!""
"Yes.""
"Exactly! You made sure I would never have any security.""
I couldn't believe it.
"You have a home. You have income. You have your own savings.""
"That's not the point.""
"Then tell me what the point is.""
She walked around my desk.
"The point is that I married you believing we were building something together. But every important decision was already made before I arrived.""
I shook my head.
"You're talking about a trust designed to protect my daughter.""
"And what protects me?""
I looked at her.
"Why do you need my daughter's inheritance to feel protected?""
Denise's face reddened.
"Because I have two children too!""
"Then protect your children. Don't take something that belongs to mine.""
She leaned forward.
"You think you're some kind of hero because you pay for everything.""
"No.""
"You think everyone should worship Maya because she lost her mother.""
I took a step toward her.
"Stop.""
Denise continued.
"She isn't the only person in this house who has suffered.""
I stared at her.
Then I asked the question that had been sitting in my mind for days.
"Did you try to sell the house?""
She looked away.
"I explored an option.""
"Without my permission?""
"I thought we could discuss it afterward.""
"After what?""
"After the transfer.""
I felt my hands go cold.
"You're admitting you planned to transfer the property before discussing it with me?""
Denise crossed her arms.
"I knew you'd overreact.""
I shook my head slowly.
"Who is Richard Cole?""
She said nothing.
"Who owns the company making the offer?""
"Someone I know.""
"Who?""
"Marcus, this is becoming ridiculous.""
"Answer me.""
She turned away.
"I don't have to answer every question you ask.""
I took out my phone.
"I'm calling Daniel.""
She spun around.
"Don't you dare!""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because you'll ruin everything.""
Those words hung in the room.
I stared at her.
"Everything?""
Denise pressed her lips together.
Then she lowered her voice.
"You have no idea how much money has already gone into this.""
My heart began pounding.
"What money?""
She looked toward the door.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear on her face.
"Forget it.""
"No. You just said money has already gone into this.""
"Marcus, please.""
"Whose money?""
She shook her head.
Then she walked out.
I immediately called Daniel.
"Something has already been paid.""
"What?""
"Denise just admitted money has gone into the property arrangement.""
Daniel was silent.
"Don't confront her further tonight," he said.
"I'll make some calls.""
At 8:15 the following morning, I arrived at his office carrying a folder thick enough to barely close.
Daniel was waiting in the conference room.
He had printed copies of the trust documents, the proposed amendment, and the email correspondence.
He looked tired.
"Marcus, sit down.""
I placed my folder on the table.
"Tell me what you found.""
Daniel opened his laptop.
"The company listed as the potential buyer has two registered directors.""
"Who?""
He turned the screen toward me.
The first name meant nothing.
The second made my stomach drop.
It was Denise's brother, Gregory.
I stared at the screen.
"Gregory?""
Daniel nodded.
"He appears to be connected to the company.""
I rubbed my face.
"Why would he be buying our house?""
"We don't know yet. But the proposed sale price is significantly below the independent market valuation.""
"How much below?""
Daniel told me.
I stared at him.
It was nearly thirty percent under what the property was worth.
"That's insane.""
"There's something else.""
He opened another file.
"This is a payment record from the property consultant.""
I leaned forward.
A payment had been made to Richard Cole.
The amount was $18,500.
The description read:
Property transition consulting and document preparation.
I looked at Daniel.
"Who paid it?""
"The account information suggests the payment came from a joint household account.""
I felt sick.
"Denise used our money?""
"That's what the record indicates.""
I leaned back.
"Can we stop everything?""
"There's no completed transfer that I've identified. But we need to secure the trust records, notify the relevant parties, and obtain the original documents.""
Daniel closed the file.
"And Marcus, I want to be very clear. The fact that a document contains a signature resembling yours doesn't establish that it was accepted or acted upon. We'll need proper examination and records.""
I nodded.
"What about the money?""
"We'll investigate that separately.""
I looked at the documents.
Then Daniel asked:
"Does Denise know you're meeting me?""
"No.""
"Keep it that way until we've secured the relevant records.""
I nodded.
My phone buzzed.
It was Angela.
Marcus, call me immediately. Denise just contacted me.
I stepped outside the conference room.
"Angela?""
Her voice sounded tense.
"What's going on?""
"What did Denise say?""
"She asked whether Maya could stay with me for a few weeks.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did she explain why?""
"She said you were planning to throw her out and that the house was going to be sold.""
I gripped the phone.
"Angela, I need you to listen carefully. Maya isn't being thrown out. I never agreed to sell the house.""
There was a pause.
Then Angela said something unexpected.
"Marcus, I think Denise has been telling people a very different story.""
"What do you mean?""
"She called me last week. She said you were planning to move overseas for business and that Maya would be living with her.""
I stared at the wall.
"What?""
"She said the trust was being reorganized and that you wanted the boys to have a permanent home.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Did you believe her?""
"Not completely. That's why I didn't say anything.""
Angela lowered her voice.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
"She asked me whether I knew anyone who could take Maya in after graduation.""
I couldn't speak.
"Marcus?""
"I'm here.""
"I think you need to come home.""
"Why?""
"Because Denise has invited someone over.""
"Who?""
Angela hesitated.
"Her brother Gregory.""
I ended the call and turned back toward Daniel.
"Something's happening at my house.""
Daniel stood.
"Then we need to be careful.""
I gathered the documents.
Before leaving, he gave me one final instruction.
"Don't threaten anyone. Don't sign anything. And don't allow anyone to pressure you into making a decision about the property.""
I nodded.
Then I drove home.
When I entered the house, I heard voices coming from the living room.
Denise was sitting on the sofa.
Gregory was beside her.
A third man stood near the fireplace holding a leather folder.
Maya was standing at the bottom of the staircase.
Her face was pale.
The moment she saw me, she hurried toward me.
"Dad.""
I put an arm around her.
"What's happening?""
Denise stood up.
"Good. You're home.""
I looked at the unfamiliar man.
"Who is he?""
Denise adjusted her blouse.
"This is Mr. Lawson. He's here to help us resolve the property situation.""
The man extended his hand.
"Marcus Bennett? I'm pleased to meet you.""
I didn't shake it.
"Resolve what property situation?""
Gregory smiled.
"Come on, Marcus. Let's not make this difficult.""
I looked at my brother-in-law.
Then I looked at Denise.
"What have you done?""
Denise picked up the leather folder and placed it on the coffee table.
"There's something you need to understand before you start making accusations.""
She opened the folder.
Inside was a document bearing my name.
But it wasn't the trust amendment.
It was something much worse.
And when I read the first paragraph, I realized Denise hadn't merely been planning to remove Maya from the house.
May you like
She had been preparing to claim that I had already agreed to give her control of it.
*And the man standing beside my wife was about to tell me that the paperwork had already been submitted.*
