Chapter 5: Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Dollars
I didn't remember sitting down.
One moment, I was standing in the hallway.
The next, I was on a velvet bench beside the restaurant's private reception area, staring at my phone.
Four hundred and eighty thousand dollars.
That was more than my first year's business revenue.
It was money someone had borrowed using my financial identity.
And my mother was still inside celebrating.
"Rebecca," I said, forcing myself to breathe, "what do we do?""
"First, I'm contacting the lender's fraud department. Second, I need you to contact your bank and secure any accounts connected to the information in that application.""
"Can the money be recovered?""
"Possibly. But I won't promise that until we know where it went.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Who received it?""
"MC Holdings. We have the company's registration information, but we need the bank to trace the transfer.""
I swallowed.
"Do it.""
"I also recommend that you make no further payments connected to your mother's event or your brother's business.""
"I won't.""
"Good. I'll call you as soon as I have confirmation from the lender.""
The call ended.
I sat there for another minute.
Then I opened my banking application.
My personal accounts appeared normal.
My business accounts appeared normal.
But there was a notification I hadn't seen earlier.
*NEW EXTERNAL CREDIT INQUIRY — COMMERCIAL GUARANTEE REVIEW.*
The inquiry had been made two days earlier.
I took a screenshot.
Then I noticed another notification.
A missed call from an unfamiliar number.
I called it back.
A woman answered.
"Good evening. Carter?""
"Yes.""
"This is Melissa from the commercial lending department at First National Capital. We attempted to reach you regarding a financing agreement.""
My heartbeat accelerated.
"Which agreement?""
"The MC Holdings commercial development facility.""
"I never applied for that.""
There was a pause.
"I'm sorry?""
"I did not apply for it. I did not authorize it. I did not guarantee it.""
The woman became more formal.
"Ms. Carter, our records indicate that your authorization was received electronically.""
"Then your records are wrong.""
"Would you like me to transfer you to our verification team?""
"Immediately.""
A few moments later, another representative joined.
He asked me several questions.
My full name.
My business name.
My mailing address.
Then he asked whether I recognized a digital signature dated three days earlier.
"No.""
"Did you authorize a verification code sent to your registered telephone number?""
"No.""
"Did you provide a copy of your identification to MC Holdings?""
"No.""
He paused.
"Understood. We will flag the account for an immediate identity verification review.""
I looked at the ballroom doors.
"Has the money been released?""
"An initial disbursement has been completed.""
"Can it be frozen?""
"We'll need to escalate that request.""
I gave him Rebecca's contact information.
Before ending the call, I asked one final question.
"Who submitted the application?""
He hesitated.
"The application was submitted through a registered business representative.""
"Name?""
"Marcus Carter.""
I closed my eyes.
My brother.
The person who had sat beside me at dinner.
The person who had watched our mother drag my chair away.
The person who had told me I was ruining everything.
I ended the call.
Then I called Jasmine.
She answered immediately.
"Nia?""
"Can you come outside?""
"I'm already near the entrance.""
She appeared a moment later.
When she saw my face, she stopped smiling.
"What happened?""
I told her.
Every detail.
The loan.
The forged authorization.
Marcus's involvement.
The money transferred to MC Holdings.
She listened without interrupting.
When I finished, she shook her head.
"Your own brother?""
I nodded.
Jasmine sat beside me.
"Do you remember what happened when your father died?""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because I remember your mother telling everyone she couldn't afford to keep the house.""
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with this?""
"Your father left money for all three of you.""
I went still.
"What money?""
Jasmine looked surprised.
"You didn't know?""
"Know what?""
She glanced toward the ballroom.
"Your father had a life insurance policy. I remember Patricia mentioning it years ago. There was money for you, Marcus, and Claire.""
I stared at her.
My father had died when I was twenty-two.
I remembered the funeral.
The paperwork.
My mother's constant complaints about expenses.
I remembered being told there wasn't enough money for college tuition, so I needed to work harder.
But I didn't remember any inheritance.
"How much?""
"I don't know exactly. Patricia might.""
I stood.
"Where is Aunt Patricia?""
Jasmine pointed toward the bar.
I found her speaking with an elderly family friend.
When she saw me, she immediately excused herself.
"Nia, sweetheart.""
"Can I ask you something about Dad?""
Her expression changed.
"Of course.""
"Did he leave us an insurance policy?""
Patricia looked around.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"I believe the total benefit was six hundred thousand dollars.""
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
"Six hundred thousand?""
She nodded.
"Two hundred thousand for each of you.""
I stared at her.
"Where did it go?""
Patricia pressed her lips together.
"Your mother managed the paperwork because you were all still dealing with the funeral.""
"But I was twenty-two.""
"I know.""
"Did I receive my share?""
She didn't answer.
I looked at her.
"Patricia?""
She sighed.
"I remember your mother saying the money had been used to protect the family home. She told us all three children had agreed.""
I shook my head.
"I never agreed to that.""
Patricia touched my hand.
"I thought you knew.""
I couldn't speak.
Two hundred thousand dollars.
Money my father had left for me.
Money that might have helped me start my business.
Money I had never known existed.
And now my mother was attempting to use my financial identity to obtain nearly half a million dollars.
The pattern was becoming impossible to ignore.
I looked at Patricia.
"Do you have any paperwork?""
"I might. Your mother asked me to witness a conversation about the insurance policy years ago. I kept a copy of one letter because something about the arrangement didn't seem right.""
My heart began racing.
"Can you send it to me?""
"Yes.""
She hesitated.
"But Nia, there's something else you should know.""
"What?""
"Your father didn't want the money used to keep the house.""
I stared at her.
"What do you mean?""
"He left specific instructions. The money was supposed to be placed into separate accounts for each of you.""
I swallowed.
"Did he write that?""
"Yes.""
Before I could ask another question, the ballroom doors opened.
My mother stepped outside.
Her smile vanished when she saw Patricia standing beside me.
"Patricia. What are you telling her?""
Patricia straightened.
"The truth.""
My mother's eyes narrowed.
"That is not your business.""
Patricia looked at her calmly.
"It became my business when you started using your children's names.""
My mother turned toward me.
"Nia, we need to talk.""
"About Dad's insurance money?""
Her face changed.
For the first time that evening, I saw something that wasn't anger.
Fear.
She glanced at Patricia.
"Who told you about that?""
I stepped closer.
"Where is my two hundred thousand dollars?""
My mother pressed her lips together.
"You were young. You wouldn't understand.""
"I was twenty-two.""
"You had no idea how expensive it was to maintain the house.""
"So you spent my inheritance?""
"It wasn't an inheritance. It was family money.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Did you use my share to pay the mortgage?""
She didn't answer.
"Did you use Claire's and Marcus's shares too?""
My mother folded her arms.
"Everything I did was for this family.""
I looked at her.
"Then why did you tell me there was no money?""
She sighed impatiently.
"Because you needed to learn how to stand on your own.""
The words hit harder than I expected.
I had worked two jobs through college.
I had slept in a rented room with a broken heater.
I had built a company without asking anyone for help.
All while believing my father had left nothing behind.
My mother stepped closer.
"Your father would have wanted us to stay together.""
I looked at her.
"Don't use Dad to justify what you did.""
Her expression hardened.
"You're going to regret turning against your family.""
I shook my head.
"Mom, you turned against me long before tonight.""
She looked at my dress, then at my face.
"You're still my daughter.""
I nodded.
"Then you should have treated me like one.""
I walked away.
Behind me, my mother called my name.
I didn't turn around.
A minute later, my phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus.
*We need to meet. Alone. There's something Mom doesn't know I found.*
I stared at the screen.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*It's about Dad's insurance policy. And the money wasn't the only thing she hid.*
