Chapter 5: The Woman Who Had Been Helping Me
The name Melissa gave me was Thomas.
Thomas Reed had been my business partner for eleven years.
He had helped me build the company from a small investment firm into a successful property development business. He knew my passwords, my contracts, my lawyers, and almost every weakness in my financial arrangements.
I had trusted him like a brother.
"You're telling me Thomas changed the documents?"" I asked.
Melissa sounded nervous.
"The access records show his credentials.""
"Could someone else have used his account?""
"Possibly.""
"Then don't make accusations.""
"I'm not. I'm telling you what the records show.""
I hung up.
My first instinct was to call Thomas.
My second was to call Emma.
I chose Emma.
She didn't answer.
I sent a message.
I found the financial documents. I know you saw them. Please tell me what happened.
A minute passed.
Then another.
Finally, three dots appeared.
I don't want to discuss business right now.
I typed.
You were listed as missing from the beneficiary documents. That wasn't intentional. I never wanted you or the baby excluded.
Her response came quickly.
But we were excluded, Daniel.
I stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
And I didn't know whether the man I married had noticed.
I couldn't think of an answer.
Then she sent one more.
Please don't turn this into another investigation. I need peace.
I put the phone down.
She was right.
Even now, my first instinct was to investigate the paperwork instead of understanding what my wife had experienced.
I drove to the office.
The building was almost empty.
Christmas decorations hung from the reception desk, and a small artificial tree stood beside the elevators.
Melissa was waiting in my office.
She looked uncomfortable.
"Thank you for coming.""
"Show me the access records.""
She opened her laptop.
"On November 18, someone downloaded your financial contingency folder. On November 21, the beneficiary information was modified.""
"By Thomas?""
"His credentials were used.""
"Was he physically here?""
Melissa opened another window.
"The security footage shows someone entering your office at 8:43 p.m.""
She turned the screen toward me.
A man wearing a dark coat walked through the hallway.
His face was partly hidden by the camera angle.
"Can you zoom in?""
Melissa did.
I recognized the coat.
It belonged to Thomas.
But something else caught my attention.
The person was carrying a small leather briefcase.
Thomas never carried one.
He always used a black laptop bag with a silver zipper.
"Who else had access to the building that night?""
Melissa checked the records.
"Three people.""
"Names.""
"Thomas, me, and...""
She stopped.
"Who?""
"Rachel Bennett.""
I turned slowly.
"Why would Rachel have access to this building?""
Melissa looked down.
"She came here several times.""
"For what?""
"To see you.""
"I know that.""
"No, Daniel. I mean when you weren't here.""
My stomach tightened.
"Explain.""
Melissa hesitated.
"She came in after hours on November 18. She said you had asked her to collect some personal documents.""
I stared at her.
"I never asked her to do that.""
Melissa nodded.
"I know that now.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought you knew.""
I walked toward the window.
Outside, snow covered the parking lot.
I remembered Rachel's visits.
The coffee she'd brought to my office.
The time she'd waited for me after a meeting.
The afternoon she'd said she needed to print something because her home computer wasn't working.
Had she been accessing my files?
I turned back.
"Do we have footage?""
Melissa nodded.
She opened another recording.
Rachel entered the building carrying a red handbag.
She spoke to the receptionist, smiled, and walked toward my office.
A few minutes later, she emerged holding a folder.
I felt my jaw tighten.
"What's in that folder?""
"We don't know.""
"Can you identify what she accessed?""
Melissa checked the system.
"Your financial contingency folder.""
I sat down.
"Call Thomas.""
Melissa looked alarmed.
"Now?""
"Yes.""
She made the call and put it on speaker.
Thomas answered after several rings.
"Daniel! Merry Christmas, my friend.""
His voice was cheerful.
Too cheerful.
"Thomas, where are you?""
"At home. Why?""
"We need to discuss the financial documents.""
A pause.
"What documents?""
"The beneficiary revisions.""
Another pause.
Then he laughed.
"Is this about that old contingency plan? We discussed that weeks ago.""
"No, we didn't.""
"Daniel, you were under a lot of pressure. I thought we were protecting the company.""
"Why was Rachel Bennett listed as a beneficiary?""
Silence.
Then Thomas said, "What?""
"Her name is on the revised document.""
"That's impossible.""
"Your credentials were used.""
"Then someone accessed my account.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
I leaned forward.
"Thomas, did you authorize Rachel to access my files?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Finally, he said, "She told me you had asked her to help.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why would you believe that?""
"Because she said you were considering a restructuring. She said you wanted an independent person to review some of the paperwork.""
"Did you verify that with me?""
"No.""
"Then why did you let her in?""
Thomas sighed.
"Daniel, don't turn this into a bigger problem than it is.""
I stood.
"A woman I used to date was accessing my financial records, and you changed beneficiary information without my approval. How is that not a big problem?""
Thomas's voice hardened.
"Maybe you should be asking why your wife was digging through your office in the first place.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Emma accessed the same folder. I saw the log.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I was the one who told Melissa to check it.""
I looked at Melissa.
She shook her head.
Thomas continued.
"Daniel, I don't want to get involved in your marriage. But your wife was looking through confidential business documents.""
"She was looking for answers.""
"About what?""
I didn't respond.
Thomas sighed.
"Listen. Rachel came to me because she was worried about you. She said you were under tremendous pressure and that Emma was becoming increasingly difficult.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"What exactly did she say?""
"That your marriage was unstable. That you might need to protect your assets.""
I felt sick.
"Did you believe her?""
"I believed she was trying to help.""
I laughed bitterly.
"She was trying to help herself.""
Thomas became defensive.
"Be careful, Daniel.""
"Why?""
"Because you're making assumptions.""
I ended the call.
Melissa stood quietly.
After a moment, she asked, "What are you going to do?""
I looked at the security footage again.
Rachel walking into my office.
Rachel leaving with a folder.
Thomas pretending everything was normal.
And Emma, somewhere in a hospital, carrying the weight of all of it.
"Find out exactly what was changed," I said.
Melissa nodded.
"And Daniel?""
I looked at her.
"I think you should know something else.""
"What?""
"Rachel wasn't the only person who visited your office after hours.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who else?""
Melissa turned her laptop.
The security footage showed a woman entering the building at 10:16 p.m. on December 12.
She wore a long black coat.
Her face was clearly visible.
My mother.
I stared at the screen.
"What was she doing here?""
Melissa lowered her voice.
"She asked for copies of your financial documents.""
I felt a strange pressure in my chest.
My mother had never liked Emma.
She had always believed I could have married someone more suitable.
At our wedding, she'd barely spoken to Emma.
During the pregnancy, she'd repeatedly suggested that Emma was too sensitive and too emotional.
I'd dismissed those comments as harmless family tension.
Now, seeing her entering my office after hours, I began to wonder how much I had ignored.
I called her.
She answered with her usual cheerful voice.
"Daniel! Merry Christmas, darling.""
"Did you visit my office on December 12?""
Silence.
Then she said, "Why?""
"Just answer the question.""
"Yes. I needed some paperwork.""
"What paperwork?""
"Your financial arrangements.""
I gripped the desk.
"Why?""
"Because someone needed to make sure you were protected.""
"From whom?""
She sighed.
"Daniel, don't be dramatic.""
"Did you know Rachel had access to my documents?""
Another pause.
"Rachel was trying to help.""
"Did you ask her to change the beneficiary information?""
My mother sounded offended.
"Of course not.""
"Then why was her name on the document?""
She became quiet.
Finally, she said, "Because she understands your business better than Emma ever will.""
I stared at the phone.
"What?""
"Daniel, you need to be realistic. Emma is a lovely girl, but she's never understood the responsibilities that come with your position.""
I felt something inside me break.
"She's my wife.""
"Yes. And you're going to have a child. You need to think about the future.""
"I was thinking about the future.""
"Then you should stop letting your emotions dictate your decisions.""
I lowered my voice.
"Did you tell Emma I was planning to leave her?""
My mother didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
"Mother?""
She sighed.
"I told her that you were considering protecting your assets.""
"Did you tell her Rachel would be involved?""
"I told her Rachel was helping you.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you tell her I had asked Rachel to take care of the baby if something happened to me?""
My mother said nothing.
My heart began pounding.
"What did you tell my wife?""
Finally, she whispered, "I told her that you might be better off with someone who understood your world.""
I felt physically sick.
"You told my pregnant wife that?""
"I was trying to protect you.""
"From my own family?""
"Daniel, don't speak to me like that.""
I ended the call.
For several minutes, I couldn't move.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Lauren.
Emma asked me to give you something. I think you need to see it.
An attachment appeared.
It was a photograph of a letter.
The handwriting was Emma's.
I opened it.
Daniel, I never wanted your money. I never wanted your house, your business, or your mother's approval.
I swallowed.
I only wanted to know that when our son arrived, his father would be there.
The next paragraph was worse.
Your mother visited me last week. She told me you were considering a separation. She said Rachel had always been the person who understood you best. She also told me that if I loved our baby, I should stop making your life difficult.
I stopped reading.
My vision blurred.
The final paragraph contained one sentence.
She said you had already decided who would raise our son if something happened to you.
I stared at the words.
Then I noticed the date.
December 12.
The same day my mother had visited my office.
I called Lauren immediately.
"Where did you get this?""
"Emma gave it to me.""
"Is there more?""
"Yes.""
"What?""
Lauren hesitated.
"Daniel, there's a recording.""
"Of what?""
"Your mother.""
My blood ran cold.
"What recording?""
"Emma recorded their conversation when your mother visited her.""
I stood.
"Send it to me.""
Lauren took a breath.
"Are you sure?""
"Yes.""
A moment later, a video arrived.
I pressed play.
The screen showed our living room.
My mother was sitting on the couch.
Emma stood near the Christmas tree, holding a cup of tea.
Then my mother's voice came through the speaker.
"You're a good girl, Emma. But you need to understand something. Daniel's future is bigger than this marriage.""
Emma answered quietly.
"He's my husband.""
My mother laughed.
"That doesn't mean he'll stay your husband.""
Then she leaned forward and said something that made my entire body go cold.
"Rachel is already prepared to take your place.""
The video continued.
Emma put her cup down.
And then she asked a question I had never imagined hearing from my wife.
"Does Daniel know you're trying to replace me?""
My mother smiled.
"No, sweetheart. But he will.""
The video ended.
I sat in my office, unable to breathe.
My mother had gone behind my back.
Rachel had accessed my files.
Thomas had helped.
And Emma had been forced to watch the people closest to me dismantle her sense of security while carrying my child.
But there was one detail I still couldn't understand.
Why had my mother been so certain Rachel would take Emma's place?
I replayed the final seconds of the recording.
Then I heard something in the background.
A notification.
My mother's phone lit up.
The screen displayed a message from Rachel.
Did she sign it?
I paused the video.
May you like
My hands began to shake.
What exactly had they been trying to make my wife sign?
