Chapter 4: The Husband Who Knew Too Much
For a moment, nobody moved.
The air conditioner hummed in the hallway. Somewhere outside, a lawn mower started up in the distance. One of the children dropped a plastic toy, and it clattered across the hardwood floor.
But inside my living room, everything had gone silent.
I looked at Wade.
"Your mother just said you were supposed to convince me to sign the farmhouse back to them.""
Wade swallowed.
"Annie, it's not what you think.""
"Then tell me what it is.""
He glanced at Juliette.
That single glance told me more than he intended.
Juliette immediately stepped between us.
"Don't look at me like that, Wade. You know perfectly well what your father wanted.""
Wade rubbed his face.
"Mom, please.""
"No. I'm done protecting you.""
I stared at them.
Protecting him?
What exactly had my husband been doing behind my back?
I lifted the document.
"Somebody start explaining.""
Juliette crossed her arms.
"Your father-in-law made arrangements before he died. He was worried about the future of this property.""
"That's what the letter says.""
"He wanted the farmhouse kept in the family.""
I looked at her.
"I am family.""
She gave a dismissive laugh.
"That's not what I mean.""
"Then what do you mean?""
She glanced toward Tammy and Carla.
They were standing near the living room entrance, listening carefully.
Juliette lowered her voice.
"Robert wanted Wade to have control. He never intended for you to make decisions about the property.""
I looked at the document again.
My name was clearly printed beneath the words TRUSTEE.
"Then why did he appoint me?""
Juliette's lips tightened.
"Because he was confused.""
"Robert was perfectly capable of understanding legal documents.""
"He was old.""
"He was sixty-eight.""
"He was ill!""
Her voice cracked across the room.
For a second, nobody spoke.
Then I turned toward Wade.
"Did you know your father put the farmhouse in a trust?""
Wade looked at the floor.
"Yes.""
The answer was so quiet I almost didn't hear it.
My stomach dropped.
"How long?""
He exhaled.
"Since before he died.""
I felt as though someone had pulled the floor out from under me.
"How long, Wade?""
"Two years.""
Two years.
He had known for two years that I was the trustee of the property we lived in.
He had known that his mother was trying to get control of it.
And he had said nothing.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
He took a step closer.
"Dad told me he was going to explain everything to you.""
"But he died.""
"I know.""
"And you decided to keep quiet?""
"Annie, I didn't want to upset you.""
I stared at him.
"You didn't want to upset me?""
Juliette interrupted.
"Let's not turn this into something bigger than it is.""
I turned toward her.
"Please stop talking.""
She looked offended.
"Excuse me?""
"You heard me.""
Tammy stepped forward.
"Mom, maybe we should go.""
Juliette ignored her.
"Annie, you have to understand that Wade grew up here. This property belonged to his father. It's supposed to stay with him.""
I held up the document.
"Then Robert should have put Wade's name on it.""
"He intended to.""
"But he didn't.""
"He made a mistake.""
I almost laughed.
A mistake.
A mistake that had been witnessed, documented, notarized, and filed with the county.
I looked at the second page.
There was a paragraph about the trust's purpose.
I read it slowly.
The property was to remain protected for the benefit of the household residing there, with the trustee responsible for preventing unauthorized transfers, sales, or encumbrances.
I looked up.
"Juliette, were you planning to sell this property?""
Her expression changed.
"No.""
"Then why did Robert specifically include a clause preventing unauthorized sales?""
She didn't answer.
Wade stepped between us.
"Annie, that's enough.""
I looked at him.
"Get out of my way.""
He stopped.
It was the first time in seven years I'd ever spoken to him like that.
His face changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
"Can we talk upstairs?"" he asked.
"No.""
"Please.""
I shook my head.
"You've had two years to talk to me.""
He lowered his voice.
"There's more to this.""
"Then say it.""
He looked at his mother again.
Juliette shook her head almost imperceptibly.
Wade finally spoke.
"Mom wanted to refinance the property.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"She needed money.""
"How much?""
He hesitated.
"About two hundred thousand dollars.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Two hundred thousand?""
Juliette raised her chin.
"It was a temporary arrangement.""
"With whose property?""
"Our family's property.""
"My name is on the trust.""
"That doesn't mean you understand everything.""
I looked at Wade.
"Did you help her?""
He didn't answer quickly enough.
"Did you help her?""
"I gave her some information about the property.""
"What information?""
"Tax records. The approximate value. Things like that.""
"Why?""
He looked miserable.
"She said she was going to use the money to settle some debts.""
I stared at him.
"Did she ask you to forge my signature?""
His silence was immediate.
And devastating.
I looked at Juliette.
She didn't even bother pretending to be shocked.
Instead, she adjusted the strap of her handbag.
"Nothing was finalized.""
I felt cold all over.
"That isn't what I asked.""
She lifted her chin.
"I was trying to help the family.""
"By stealing my signature?""
"Don't use such ugly words.""
Tammy stepped forward.
"Mom wasn't stealing anything. She was just trying to arrange financing.""
I looked at her.
"Against property she doesn't own?""
Tammy rolled her eyes.
"You're acting like we're criminals.""
I turned toward the front door.
"Everybody needs to leave.""
Juliette's face hardened.
"You cannot throw me out of my son's house.""
I pointed at the document.
"This is my house to protect. And right now, you're no longer welcome here.""
Wade stepped forward.
"Annie, don't do this.""
I looked at him.
"You knew.""
"I was trying to keep everyone happy.""
"Everyone except me.""
He lowered his head.
I opened the front door.
The hot July air rushed inside.
"Leave.""
For once, Juliette didn't argue.
She grabbed her handbag and walked outside.
Tammy followed, muttering something about ungrateful people.
Carla gathered the children.
But Juliette stopped on the porch.
She turned toward me and pointed one perfectly manicured finger at my face.
"You're going to regret humiliating me in front of my daughters.""
I looked at her calmly.
"Then perhaps you shouldn't have tried to take my home.""
She walked down the steps.
A few seconds later, the cars started.
Wade remained in the hallway.
He didn't move.
I closed the front door.
Then I placed the property documents on the kitchen counter.
"How long have you been helping her?""
He stared at the papers.
"Annie—"
"Don't call me that like everything is normal.""
He took a breath.
"Mom had debts. She was desperate.""
"How much?""
"More than she told you.""
"How much, Wade?""
He finally looked at me.
"Three hundred and eighty thousand dollars.""
I gripped the edge of the counter.
"And she thought she could get that money using my farmhouse?""
"She thought the property could secure a loan.""
I stared at him.
Then I asked the question I had been avoiding.
"Was this why your mother kept coming here? Was she looking for something?""
Wade's face went blank.
And before he could answer, my phone buzzed.
An email had arrived from a local attorney.
The subject line read:
*URGENT: NOTICE OF PENDING PROPERTY LIEN APPLICATION.*
I opened it.
There was an attachment.
A loan application submitted three weeks earlier.
The property listed as collateral was our farmhouse.
And beneath the section labeled PROPERTY OWNER AUTHORIZATION was a signature.
My signature.
Except I had never signed it.
I slowly turned the screen toward Wade.
He looked at the document.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"Mom said she had already taken care of that.""
