Chapter 3: The Signature That Wasn't Mine
My wife's brother had been dead for eleven years.
His name was Ethan Cole.
He had died in a motorcycle accident outside Denver, and I had attended his funeral with Vanessa.
I remembered carrying her home afterward because she couldn't stop crying.
Now Daniel was telling me that a dead man had supposedly notarized a document transferring my house.
"That can't be right," I whispered.
"I checked twice," Daniel replied.
"The notary number belongs to a man named Ethan Cole.""
"He's dead.""
"I understand.""
"Then somebody is using his identity.""
"That's what I suspect.""
I looked toward the kitchen.
Vanessa was standing beside the counter, stirring soup.
"Daniel, don't send anyone yet.""
"Why?""
"Because I want to know what she's planning.""
"Marcus, this could involve criminal fraud. We need to secure your property immediately.""
"I know. Give me until tomorrow morning.""
He hesitated.
"Don't sign anything. Don't hand over your identification. And don't let her take you anywhere without telling me.""
"I won't.""
After ending the call, I placed my phone beneath a folded newspaper.
Vanessa returned carrying a tray.
"Soup is ready.""
"Thank you.""
She placed it on my lap.
"Careful. It's hot.""
I took the spoon.
She watched me closely.
"Can you see the bowl?""
"Not very well.""
"That's okay. I'll help.""
She moved closer and guided my hand.
I let her.
It was strange how easily a person could touch you after betraying you.
For eight months, I had depended on those hands.
They had helped me dress.
They had guided me down hospital corridors.
They had held mine when I woke from nightmares about the accident.
And apparently, those same hands had been signing away my future.
"Vanessa?""
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Do you remember the first night after my accident?""
Her expression softened.
"Of course.""
"You told me we'd get through everything together.""
She smiled.
"We will.""
"You promised you would never leave.""
Her smile remained, but something behind her eyes shifted.
"Why are you asking?""
"Just remembering.""
She sat beside me.
"Marcus, I know things haven't been easy.""
"No.""
"But you have to understand something. I've sacrificed a lot.""
I turned toward her.
"Such as?""
"My career. My social life. My freedom.""
"Your freedom?""
"Taking care of someone isn't easy.""
I lowered my spoon.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
She looked irritated.
"Because I didn't want to hurt you.""
"Instead, you kissed another man?""
Her face stiffened.
"Marcus, we already discussed that.""
"No, we didn't. You walked out.""
She leaned closer.
"Adrian and I made a mistake.""
"A mistake?""
"It happened during a difficult time.""
"How long?""
She looked away.
"How long have you been sleeping with him?""
"Don't speak to me like that.""
"How long?""
"Six months.""
The spoon slipped from my fingers.
Six months.
I had been blind for eight months.
That meant she had started cheating on me while I was still learning how to walk through my own house without crashing into furniture.
"Was he here when I was in the hospital?""
She didn't answer.
"Vanessa?""
"Sometimes.""
I nodded.
"Did he sleep in our bed?""
Her silence answered.
I pushed the tray away.
"Get out.""
She stood abruptly.
"Excuse me?""
"Leave the room.""
"This is my house too.""
"Then leave me alone in it.""
Her face reddened.
"You ungrateful bastard. Do you have any idea what I've done for you?""
I looked directly at her.
"Yes.""
For a moment, she seemed to forget that I could see.
Then she grabbed the tray.
"Fine. Starve, then.""
She stormed into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, I heard her phone ring.
"Adrian," she whispered.
I moved my wheelchair closer to the doorway.
"He's suspicious.""
A pause.
"No, I don't think he saw everything.""
Another pause.
"Because he can barely see! The doctors said recovery was unlikely.""
My stomach tightened.
Then she continued.
"The transfer needs to happen before Friday. If he gets his attorney involved, we're finished.""
I slowly raised my phone and opened the recording application.
"Yes," she whispered.
"I know what the agreement says. Once Aster gets the property, we can sell it and divide the money.""
A man's voice came through the speaker.
I recognized Adrian.
"What about the insurance payout?""
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"That comes afterward.""
My heart began pounding.
Insurance payout?
I had a life insurance policy worth three million dollars.
Vanessa was the primary beneficiary.
I had never changed it because I had trusted her.
Then she said something that made me stop breathing.
"Don't worry. The accident already did half the work for us.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
She continued.
"He was supposed to die that night. The doctors told us he was lucky to survive.""
Adrian replied.
"Well, he didn't. Now we have to finish what we started.""
My fingers went numb.
I replayed the sentence in my mind.
Finish what we started.
The accident.
My blindness.
The house.
The insurance money.
Suddenly, the pieces were beginning to connect.
I backed away from the doorway.
But my wheelchair brushed against the wall.
The sound was small.
Barely noticeable.
Vanessa stopped speaking.
"Adrian?""
Another pause.
"Wait.""
Her footsteps approached.
"Marcus?""
I quickly lowered my phone.
She appeared in the doorway, her expression unusually still.
"What are you doing?""
"Nothing.""
"Who were you talking to?""
"Nobody.""
She looked at the phone in my hand.
Then at my face.
"Give me your phone.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"Because I need to check something.""
"What?""
She stepped closer.
"Marcus, give it to me.""
I looked at the woman I had once promised to grow old with.
Then I heard the front door open.
A familiar male voice called from the hallway.
"Vanessa? Are you home?""
She turned.
Her face lost all color.
Because the man standing in the doorway wasn't Adrian.
May you like
It was my younger brother, Nathan.
And he was holding a thick envelope addressed to me.
