Chapter 5: The Account Nobody Mentioned
When I returned to the dining room, Daniel was standing beside his chair with his phone pressed tightly in his hand.
Richard remained seated, the documents spread across the table.
Margaret followed me in but didn't sit down.
"What account?"" I asked.
Daniel looked at his father.
Richard answered instead.
"We've identified a separate account used to receive money from the consulting company.""
"Whose account?""
"We're still verifying the ownership.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Did you know about it?""
He rubbed his face.
"Emily, the situation is complicated.""
"That's what you've said every time I've asked you a direct question tonight.""
He lowered his voice.
"I was trying to fix it before you found out.""
"Fix what? The affair? The missing savings? Or the money your father says went through Vanessa's company?""
His silence answered more than he intended.
I sat down slowly.
"Start at the beginning.""
Daniel remained standing.
For several seconds, he seemed to be deciding which version of the truth would cost him the least.
Finally, he pulled out his chair.
"About four months ago, I met Vanessa through a professional contact. She had experience helping people develop private design ventures, and she said she knew investors who might be interested in a project I wanted to start.""
"What project?""
"A design studio. My own business.""
I remembered the late nights, the sketches spread across our dining table, the conversations about how much he wanted to build something with his name on it.
He'd told me he needed time.
He'd told me he needed patience.
He'd told me that one day, all the sacrifices we were making would pay off.
I had believed him.
"Why didn't you tell me you'd met her?""
"Because I knew you'd worry about the money.""
"Would I have been wrong to worry?""
He didn't answer.
He continued.
"Vanessa offered to introduce me to potential investors. We started meeting regularly. At first, everything was professional.""
"And then?""
He looked down.
"Then we became involved.""
The words were so plain that they seemed to empty the room of air.
"How long?"" I asked.
"About two months.""
Two months.
Two months of shared dinners, whispered conversations, and whatever else he'd done with a woman who apparently knew exactly who I was.
Two months of coming home to me and pretending his day had been ordinary.
I pressed my palms against my knees.
"Did you tell her you were married?""
"Yes.""
"Did she know my name?""
"Yes.""
"Did you tell her you planned to leave me?""
Daniel looked away.
That was the answer.
I felt something inside me grow very quiet.
Not forgiveness.
Not acceptance.
Something colder.
"Did you promise her money?""
He looked up.
"No.""
Richard pushed a document toward him.
"Then explain why the payments continued after the project was suspended.""
Daniel stared at the page.
"Because I was trying to recover the initial investment.""
"By sending more money to the same company?""
"I thought I could get it back.""
Richard's expression was hard.
"You used company funds without proper authorization. Then you moved money from your personal savings account into another account connected to the same arrangement. You need to explain that before this becomes a larger problem.""
Daniel shook his head.
"I didn't know where the money was going after it left Vanessa's company.""
"Did you ask?""
"No.""
"Why not?""
Daniel's face reddened.
"Because I trusted her.""
The irony was so sharp that I almost laughed.
He had trusted Vanessa enough to move money through her company.
He had trusted her enough to conceal transactions from his father.
He had trusted her enough to risk our savings.
But he hadn't trusted me enough to tell me what he was doing.
"Did she ask you to hide the transfers from me?"" I asked.
Daniel hesitated.
"She said it would be better to wait until the investment was finalized.""
"Better for whom?""
He didn't answer.
Margaret finally sat beside me.
"Daniel, did Vanessa ever ask you to sign documents you hadn't reviewed?""
He looked at his mother.
"Why are you asking that?""
"Because some of the paperwork appears to have been submitted after you signed it.""
"I signed what she gave me.""
Richard closed the folder.
"That is not an answer that helps you.""
Daniel pushed his chair back.
"I made mistakes. I understand that. But I'm not a thief.""
"Then cooperate with the investigation," Richard said.
Daniel turned toward me.
"Emily, you know me. You know I wouldn't deliberately hurt you.""
I looked at him for a long moment.
"I knew the man who used to tell me the truth.""
His expression crumpled.
For one brief second, I almost reached for his hand.
It was an old instinct, one built from years of loving him. Whenever he looked hurt, I wanted to comfort him. Whenever he was afraid, I wanted to reassure him.
But this time, he was afraid because the consequences of his choices had finally reached him.
I wasn't going to rescue him from that feeling.
"Did you use our money to impress her?"" I asked.
"No.""
"Did you buy her things?""
He hesitated.
My heart sank.
"What did you buy her?""
"Nothing significant.""
"Daniel.""
He exhaled.
"I paid for some dinners. A few hotel stays when we traveled for meetings. Things like that.""
Things like that.
I looked toward the ceiling, fighting the urge to cry again.
I'd spent weeks believing we couldn't afford small luxuries.
I'd told him not to worry about my birthday because we needed to save money.
I'd worn the same winter boots for three years.
And he had been paying for hotel rooms with another woman.
Margaret reached for my hand, but I gently moved it away.
I didn't want comfort yet.
I wanted facts.
"How much of our money is gone?""
Daniel swallowed.
"About thirty-eight thousand dollars.""
The number landed between us like a physical blow.
Thirty-eight thousand dollars.
Money we'd saved for a down payment.
Money we'd discussed using to buy a small house where we could finally have a guest room and a garden.
Money I'd believed was safe because we had built the account together.
"Can you return it?""
"I'm working on that.""
"That wasn't my question.""
"I don't have it right now.""
I closed my eyes.
Richard spoke carefully.
"The company is reviewing the transfers. We need to determine which payments were authorized, which were misrepresented, and where the money ultimately went. No one should make further transfers until the records have been examined.""
Daniel nodded, but his gaze kept drifting toward his phone.
It buzzed.
He looked down.
For the first time that evening, I saw his expression change from fear to alarm.
He turned the screen facedown.
"Who is it?"" I asked.
"Nobody.""
The phone buzzed again.
Richard held out his hand.
"Daniel.""
"It's personal.""
"Then answer it privately. But don't tell us you're cooperating while concealing information relevant to this investigation.""
Daniel snatched up the phone and walked into the hallway.
I watched him disappear around the corner.
A moment later, I heard his voice.
"Not now.""
Silence.
Then, more urgently, "You said you had everything under control.""
My stomach tightened.
Margaret looked at Richard.
Neither of them spoke.
Daniel continued in a low voice.
"No. You need to listen to me. My father has the documents.""
Another pause.
Then he said something that made Richard rise from his chair.
"What do you mean, she has the original?""
The call ended.
Daniel returned to the dining room, his face pale.
Richard stood beside the table.
"Who has the original document?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I can't explain that.""
"You just said someone had it.""
"I was talking about a separate matter.""
"Then tell us what that matter is.""
Daniel looked at me.
For a moment, he seemed to be asking me for help without actually speaking.
I didn't move.
Finally, he said, "Vanessa has a document that could make this much worse.""
"What document?"" I asked.
He swallowed.
"A document I signed.""
Richard's expression darkened.
"What did you sign, Daniel?""
May you like
My husband stared at the table.
And when he finally answered, I realized the missing money might not be the most dangerous thing he'd put at risk.
