Chapter 2: Forty-Seven Thousand Dollars
I didn't sleep.
At 3:17 a.m., I was still sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the hotel reservation.
Daniel's name appeared beside Vanessa's.
Two guests.
Three nights.
A presidential suite.
The total cost was $6,850.
Paid with my credit card.
I read the confirmation again, hoping exhaustion had made me misunderstand something.
It hadn't.
I called the bank again when they opened.
Melissa recognized my case number.
"Mrs. Carter, I've placed a temporary block on your card. We can begin the dispute process for the transactions you don't recognize.""
"Can you tell me how many there are?""
"At this point, we're reviewing twenty-three transactions.""
"What's the total?""
There was a pause.
"Forty-six thousand, eight hundred and seventy-two dollars.""
I closed my eyes.
$46,872.
That was more than I had saved in three years.
It was the money I'd put aside for a down payment on a small house. The money I'd planned to use to finally stop renting.
"How long has this been happening?"" I asked.
"The earliest transaction currently flagged is dated approximately four months ago.""
Four months.
Four months of my husband apparently spending my money on someone named Vanessa.
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
"Melissa, how were these transactions approved?""
"Some were processed through the physical card. Others appear to have used the card details for online reservations.""
"Can you tell me where the physical card was used?""
She gave me several locations.
One was a jewelry store.
Another was a luxury department store.
A third was a hotel restaurant.
I remembered that jewelry store.
Four months earlier, Daniel had told me he was taking a weekend business trip to Chicago.
He'd returned with a new watch.
When I'd asked where it came from, he'd said a client had given it to him as a thank-you gift.
I felt sick.
"Mrs. Carter?"" Melissa asked.
"I'm here.""
"Would you like us to open a formal fraud investigation?""
"Yes.""
"Then I need to ask whether you suspect someone close to you may have accessed the card.""
I stared at the hallway leading to our bedroom.
"Yes," I whispered.
After the call, I printed the transaction history.
I spread the pages across the kitchen table.
The dates formed a timeline.
March 12: $2,900 at a hotel in Chicago.
March 13: $1,180 at a jewelry boutique.
April 4: $3,400 at a resort in Napa Valley.
April 5: $760 at an upscale restaurant.
May 19: $4,200 at a hotel in Manhattan.
May 20: $2,150 at a luxury clothing store.
June 8: $1,600 at a spa.
June 9: $5,300 at another hotel.
And now, the reservation for tomorrow.
I noticed something else.
Almost every hotel stay happened on dates Daniel had described as business trips.
I heard the garage door open.
Daniel had come home.
He entered the kitchen wearing the same navy suit he'd worn the night before.
His eyes immediately landed on the papers.
"What's all this?""
I didn't move.
"Sit down.""
He loosened his tie.
"Emily, I'm exhausted.""
"Then this should wake you up.""
I pushed the hotel reservation toward him.
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
His eyes stopped at Vanessa's name.
For three seconds, he said nothing.
Then he laughed.
"Where did you get this?""
"Your hotel reservation.""
"It's not what you think.""
I leaned forward.
"Then tell me what I should think.""
He picked up the paper.
"Vanessa is helping with a project.""
"At a presidential suite?""
"Emily, it's a business arrangement.""
"Two guests?""
He put the paper down.
"Why are you going through my things?""
I stared at him.
"It's my credit card, Daniel.""
His expression tightened.
"What?""
I slid the bank statements across the table.
"Forty-six thousand, eight hundred and seventy-two dollars.""
He glanced at the first page.
Then the second.
Then he pushed them away.
"That's impossible.""
"I called the bank.""
"Well, then you need to talk to them.""
"I did. They confirmed the transactions.""
He walked toward the refrigerator and opened it.
He took out a bottle of water.
His hands were shaking.
"Maybe your card was compromised.""
"At twenty-three different places?""
"Fraud happens.""
"Daniel, the hotel reservations are under your name and Vanessa's.""
He twisted the bottle cap.
"You're making assumptions.""
I stood.
"Then answer one question. Have you been seeing Vanessa?""
He looked at me.
For a moment, I thought he might finally tell the truth.
Instead, he said, "You're being paranoid.""
I felt something inside me go very still.
"Paranoid?""
"Yes. You're letting your imagination run wild because my mother said something unpleasant last night.""
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Your mother has nothing to do with this.""
"She was right about one thing.""
He looked directly at me.
"You always turn everything into a problem.""
I picked up the hotel reservation.
"Then you won't mind if I call Vanessa.""
His hand shot out.
"Don't.""
The speed of his reaction answered a question he hadn't answered with words.
I looked at his hand.
Then at his face.
"Why not?""
"Because you'll embarrass yourself.""
"How?""
"She's not involved in our marriage.""
I stared at him.
"Then why is she spending nights in hotels with my husband using my credit card?""
He didn't respond.
Instead, he grabbed his car keys.
"I'm going to work.""
"Daniel, we aren't finished.""
He stopped at the doorway.
"Emily, don't make me regret marrying you.""
The front door slammed.
I stood in the kitchen, listening to his car disappear down the driveway.
Then my phone rang.
It was Rachel.
I answered.
"Hey.""
"Emily, did Daniel come home?""
"Yes. Why?""
"Did you ask him about Vanessa?""
My stomach tightened.
"How do you know about Vanessa?""
Rachel went silent.
Then she spoke quietly.
"Because I saw them together last month.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where?""
"At the Grand Meridian Hotel. I was there for a conference. They were checking in together.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I wasn't sure what I'd seen. And Daniel told me they were discussing a business opportunity.""
I looked at the papers scattered across my table.
"Rachel, there are $47,000 in charges on my card.""
"What?""
I heard her inhale sharply.
"Emily, listen to me. There's something else you need to know.""
"What?""
"Mom has been telling everyone that Daniel has been paying for her expenses because he's helping her financially.""
I frowned.
"What's wrong with that?""
"Nothing, except she told me last week that he gave her a new credit card.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What credit card?""
"She said it was a family account. She told me Daniel wanted her to have access in case of emergencies.""
I looked at my bank statements.
"Rachel, did she say whose name was on it?""
Rachel hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"She said it was yours.""
I felt the room tilt.
My mother-in-law had a card connected to my account?
"That's impossible," I said.
"I thought so too. But Mom showed me the card. Your name was printed on it.""
I sat down.
"Rachel, when did this happen?""
"About three months ago.""
Three months.
The suspicious charges had started four months earlier.
I opened my banking app and checked the list of authorized users.
There were two names.
Mine.
And another.
*Patricia Carter.*
My mouth went dry.
"Rachel, I need to go.""
"Emily, wait. There's something I found in Mom's desk.""
"What?""
"A hotel receipt. From last weekend.""
I stared at the screen.
"What hotel?""
"The same one Daniel is staying at tomorrow.""
I closed my eyes.
"Who was the reservation for?""
Rachel's voice dropped.
"Daniel, Vanessa, and someone else.""
"Who?""
She took a breath.
"Emily, the third name on that reservation was...""
The call suddenly disconnected.
I immediately called her back.
No answer.
I tried again.
Still nothing.
Then a message appeared.
It wasn't from Rachel.
May you like
It was from an unknown number.
Stop asking questions about Daniel and Vanessa. You have no idea what your husband is capable of.
