Chapter 4: My Name on Her Documents
“Why do you have my passport?””
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Vanessa walked into the kitchen, placed the passport on the counter, and adjusted the strap of her handbag.
“Don't be dramatic, Nia.””
Dad stood.
“Give me one reason you have our daughter's passport.””
“I needed to verify some information.””
“What information?””
“It's a business matter.””
I stepped toward the counter.
“That doesn't explain why you took it from my bedroom.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Your documents were in the family filing cabinet.””
“They were in my locked drawer.””
She didn't answer.
Dad picked up the passport.
“Vanessa, what are you doing with her identity documents?””
My mother sighed.
“Can we have one conversation without you making me sound like a criminal?””
Dad placed the folder beside the passport.
“You used my signature on a business agreement. You transferred money to your sister. Now you're attempting to withdraw $85,000 using Nia's name.””
He looked at her.
“What exactly should I call that?””
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“I was protecting the family.””
“From what?””
“From your obsession with controlling every dollar!””
Dad stared at her.
“I earned that money.””
“And I raised your children!””
The words exploded through the kitchen.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Vanessa pointed toward me.
“And this is what happens when you allow one child to become selfish. She thinks she can destroy everything because her sister made one mistake.””
I looked at my mother.
“My passport was taken without permission.””
“Because we needed it.””
“For what?””
She hesitated.
Brielle looked down at her phone.
Dad noticed.
“Brielle. Put the phone away.””
She didn't move.
“Now.””
She placed it on the counter.
Dad turned toward Vanessa.
“Answer the question.””
My mother finally sighed.
“The boutique has a supplier overseas. We needed to register a second director for the company.””
“Why Nia?””
“She has a clean financial record.””
I felt cold.
“What?””
Vanessa turned to me.
“It's just paperwork.””
“You used my name?””
“We needed another authorized person.””
“Did you put my name on a loan?””
She looked away.
Dad opened the folder.
“Apparently, someone did.””
He removed another document.
This one carried the logo of a commercial lending company.
The requested loan amount was $85,000.
The borrower was listed as Nia Carter.
My address.
My date of birth.
My signature.
Or a very convincing imitation.
I couldn't breathe properly.
“I didn't sign that.””
Dad put an arm around my shoulders.
“I know.””
Vanessa threw up her hands.
“Arthur, stop treating her like she's helpless! She is eighteen. She can understand a business arrangement.””
“An arrangement she never agreed to?””
“She would have benefited from it!””
“How?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then Brielle spoke.
“Mom said we'd pay it back before anyone noticed.””
Dad turned toward her.
“We?””
Brielle's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't know she was using Nia's name.””
I stared at my sister.
“You knew about the loan?””
She swallowed.
“I knew about the paperwork.””
“And you let her use my identity?””
“I thought it was temporary!””
I felt something inside me break.
“You watched me stand beside that fire while you cried over your handbag. You knew Mom had been putting my name on financial documents, and you still didn't say anything.””
Brielle looked away.
“I was scared.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing everything!””
I stepped back.
“What about me?””
She didn't answer.
Dad picked up the loan application.
“This is going to the bank's fraud department.””
Vanessa's face changed immediately.
“You cannot do that.””
“I can, and I will.””
“Arthur, think about the family.””
“I am thinking about my daughter.””
“Which one?””
Dad looked at her.
“Both of them. But only one of them is trying to take the other's future away.””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
She turned toward me.
“Nia, please. Tell your father this was a misunderstanding.””
I stared at her.
“Did you ask me before using my name?””
She looked down.
“Did you ask me before taking my passport?””
Silence.
“Did you ask me before trying to borrow money in my name?””
Her lower lip trembled.
“Nia, sweetheart—”
“Don't call me that.””
The kitchen became completely still.
I had never spoken to my mother like that.
Not once.
But I couldn't take it back.
And I didn't want to.
Dad collected the documents.
“Vanessa, I want you to stay away from the accounts until we establish exactly what happened.””
She laughed bitterly.
“You're choosing her over your wife?””
“I'm choosing the truth.””
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
“Fine. But don't come crying to me when this family falls apart.””
She walked toward the hallway.
Brielle followed her.
Before leaving, she turned around.
“You've ruined everything, Nia.””
I looked at her.
“No, Brielle. I just stopped letting you ruin me.””
She disappeared upstairs.
That evening, Dad contacted the bank's fraud department and arranged for the loan application to be challenged.
He also called a lawyer.
I sat in the living room, staring at the television without hearing a single word.
Around nine, my phone vibrated.
It was a message from an unknown number.
*You should ask your father why he never told you about the trust.*
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
*Your grandmother left something for you. Your mother has been trying to keep it from you since you were twelve.*
My fingers went cold.
I typed:
Who is this?
The response came immediately.
*Evelyn Carter. Your grandmother's attorney.*
A moment later, a photograph appeared.
It showed an old cream-colored envelope.
My name was written across the front in handwriting I recognized.
My grandmother's handwriting.
May you like
And beneath it were five words:
*To Nia, when she turns eighteen.*
