Chapter 4: The Name on the Final Page
For several seconds, I couldn't make sense of what I was reading.
The final page contained three names.
Daniel Miller.
Victor Harlan.
And beneath them, listed as an additional beneficiary, was Emily Carter.
My younger sister.
I read the name again.
Emily.
My little sister, who had borrowed my wedding dress when she couldn't afford one for her own ceremony. Emily, who had stayed with me for two weeks after our father died. Emily, who had cried on my shoulder when her engagement ended.
Emily, who had been sitting beside me at Patricia's birthday dinner.
I looked at Patricia.
"Why is my sister's name on this agreement?""
Patricia didn't answer.
"Patricia, I'm asking you a question.""
She reached for her coffee, but her hand trembled.
"Daniel said she was helping him.""
"Helping him do what?""
"That's between you and your sister.""
I slammed the document onto the table.
"She's listed as a beneficiary in an agreement involving my house. I think that makes it my business.""
Patricia flinched.
"Lower your voice.""
"Why? Are you worried someone might hear what you've been doing?""
She stood abruptly.
"Don't come into my home and speak to me like that.""
I pulled out my phone and photographed every page.
Patricia reached toward it.
"Don't take pictures of those documents!""
I stepped back.
"Why not?""
"They're confidential.""
"So was the mortgage application with my forged signature.""
She stared at me.
Then she said something I wasn't prepared for.
"Emily was supposed to receive money when the house was sold.""
I stopped moving.
"Sold?""
Patricia looked toward the hallway.
"Daniel said you were planning to move.""
"We were not planning to move.""
"That's not what he told Victor.""
I felt a cold pressure behind my ribs.
"How much money was Emily supposed to receive?""
Patricia shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Guess.""
"I heard twenty-five thousand.""
I almost dropped my phone.
"Twenty-five thousand dollars?""
"She had financial problems. Daniel said he was helping her.""
I stared at the woman who had humiliated me in front of thirty-two guests just days earlier.
"You knew about this?""
"I knew there was an agreement.""
"And you didn't think I deserved to know?""
Patricia folded her arms.
"Sarah, you're making Daniel sound like a criminal. He was trying to solve a problem.""
"By using my house?""
"By using the resources available to him.""
I picked up the folder.
"Where is the original agreement?""
"Daniel has it.""
"Who is Victor Harlan?""
She hesitated.
"Your father-in-law's former business partner.""
"Where can I find him?""
"I don't know.""
Her answer came too quickly.
I moved toward the front door.
"Sarah," Patricia called.
I turned.
She was standing beside the sofa, clutching the brown envelope.
"Don't contact Victor.""
"Why?""
"Because he won't care about your marriage.""
I waited.
She swallowed.
"He'll care about getting what he's owed. And if Daniel cannot pay, Victor will take whatever he can.""
I stared at her.
"Then perhaps Daniel should have thought about that before forging my name.""
I walked out.
As I reached my car, my phone rang.
Emily.
I watched her name flash across the screen.
My sister had always called me before lunch on Thursdays. It was our little routine.
I answered.
"Hello.""
"Sarah! I've been trying to reach you.""
Her voice sounded unusually cheerful.
"What's wrong?""
"Nothing. I just wanted to ask whether you were coming to Mom's next weekend.""
"I don't know.""
There was a pause.
"Are you okay?""
I looked at the photographs of the agreement.
"Emily, I need to ask you something.""
"Sure.""
"Have you spoken to Daniel about selling our house?""
Silence.
Then a small laugh.
"Why would I do that?""
"Because your name is on a private financial agreement involving our property.""
I heard her inhale sharply.
"What?""
"You're listed as an additional beneficiary.""
"Sarah, I don't know what you're talking about.""
"Twenty-five thousand dollars. Does that number mean anything to you?""
The silence lasted longer this time.
Then she said:
"Who told you that?""
My stomach tightened.
"Emily.""
"Was it Patricia?""
"Just answer me.""
She exhaled.
"Daniel said he might be able to help me.""
"Help you how?""
"He said you were considering refinancing the house. He told me you both had agreed to restructure some assets.""
I gripped the steering wheel.
"We never agreed to anything.""
"Sarah, I didn't know.""
"Did Daniel promise you twenty-five thousand dollars?""
Another silence.
Then, quietly:
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"When?""
"About two months ago.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because he said it was a surprise.""
"A surprise?""
"He said you wanted to help me get back on my feet. He said you didn't want me to feel embarrassed.""
I felt something inside me crack.
"Emily, did you sign anything?""
"No.""
"Did you receive any money?""
"No. Not yet.""
"Did Daniel tell you where the money would come from?""
"He said it was from a property investment.""
I stared at the dashboard.
"Emily, he was using our house as collateral.""
"What?""
"He forged my signature.""
"Oh my God.""
I heard movement on her end.
Then her voice changed.
"Sarah, there's something I need to tell you.""
I waited.
"Daniel asked me for copies of your identification.""
My fingers went numb.
"When?""
"About three months ago.""
"Why?""
"He said he needed them for an insurance form connected to the house.""
I struggled to breathe.
"Did you give them to him?""
"I sent him the photographs you gave me when we were arranging Dad's estate paperwork.""
I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles hurt.
"Emily, those documents included my driver's license.""
"I didn't think—"
"Did he ask for anything else?""
She began crying.
"Sarah, I swear I didn't know.""
I didn't answer.
Then she said:
"He also asked me whether you still used the same signature you had on the old family documents.""
I went completely still.
"What?""
"He said he needed to complete something for the bank. I thought it was paperwork you already knew about.""
I stared at the road ahead.
Daniel hadn't simply copied my signature.
He had planned it.
He had collected the information, recruited my sister, and prepared documents behind my back.
And now my sister was involved.
"Emily, don't contact Daniel again until we speak.""
"Sarah, please don't hate me.""
I swallowed.
"I don't know what I feel right now.""
We ended the call.
I drove directly to my office.
For the next hour, I sat in a conference room reviewing every photograph I'd taken.
Then I noticed something.
The agreement had been signed four months earlier.
But the mortgage application had been submitted only six weeks ago.
The dates didn't match.
Someone had changed the arrangement midway through.
I enlarged the photograph of the final page.
At the bottom was a small reference number.
WB-44918.
I searched my emails.
Nothing.
Then I remembered the bank specialist's comment about independent legal advice.
I called the law firm listed on the document.
A receptionist answered.
"Good morning, Harlan and Price Legal. How may I direct your call?""
I read the reference number.
There was a pause.
"One moment, please.""
A few minutes later, a man answered.
"This is Michael Price.""
I explained that my name had been used on a property agreement without my authorization.
He asked me to confirm the property address.
Then he said:
"Mrs. Miller, I think you need to come in.""
"Why?""
His voice lowered.
"Because your husband wasn't the only person who submitted documents under your name.""
My heart stopped.
"What do you mean?""
He hesitated.
"Someone submitted a second authorization.""
"Who?""
"I can't discuss the file without verifying your identity.""
"Then verify it.""
"Please bring identification tomorrow morning.""
I hung up.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Then another message arrived.
This time, from Daniel.
*Daniel:* I know you spoke to Emily. Stop involving her. We can fix this if you come home and listen to me.
I typed a reply.
*Sarah:* You have until tomorrow to tell me everything.
His response came immediately.
*Daniel:* You don't understand what Victor will do if this falls apart.
I stared at the screen.
Then a second message appeared.
*Daniel:* And Sarah, whatever you do, don't tell Emily about the second authorization.
I read it twice.
May you like
Because until that moment, I had believed my sister was simply an innocent beneficiary.
Now I wasn't sure she was innocent at all.
