Chapter 4 - Two Phone Calls and a Dangerous Secret
I returned home Wednesday evening knowing that an argument would accomplish nothing.
If Sean and Nancy were planning something, confronting them too early would only give them time to hide it.
So I made a decision.
I would let them believe their ridiculous arrangement was working.
Sean was watching television when I entered the living room.
“About your idea,” I said.
He muted the television immediately.
“What about it?”
“I've been thinking.”
His eyes brightened.
“And?”
“Maybe you're right.”
He sat forward.
“Seriously?”
“Maybe we should try something different.”
He smiled so broadly that I felt physically sick.
“I knew you'd understand.”
“Just one week,” I said.
“Absolutely.”
“You stay with Nancy, and Alex stays here?”
“Exactly.”
“And it starts Friday?”
“Friday evening. Seven o'clock.”
I studied his face.
He hadn't needed a second to think about the timing.
The arrangement had already been made.
I nodded.
“Fine.”
Sean stood and embraced me.
“Rachel, you're incredible.”
I remained still.
Because I finally understood something I had refused to believe.
The man holding me wasn't relieved that our marriage might improve.
He was relieved that I had stopped asking questions.
The following morning, Thursday, I took the day off work.
By nine o'clock, I was sitting at my kitchen table with a notebook, my mother's property records, and a list of questions.
Then I made my first important phone call.
Marisol Vega had been my mother's attorney.
She had handled the estate after Mom died and helped me settle every legal detail surrounding Willow House.
“Marisol, I think someone may be trying to use my property without my permission.”
Her tone changed immediately.
“Who?”
I hesitated.
“My husband.”
She didn't interrupt.
I explained the missing deed, Sean's strange behavior, and the mysterious Monday deadline.
Marisol listened carefully.
“Rachel, the original deed being missing doesn't automatically mean someone can sell your property. But I want to check the county records and any pending transactions.”
“Can you do that today?”
“I'll start immediately.”
An hour later, she called back.
“There are some irregularities involving a company called Willow Heritage Holdings.”
I frowned.
“Never heard of it.”
“It's a recently formed limited liability company.”
“Who owns it?”
“I'm still checking. But its registered business address is connected to Bennett Renovations.”
Sean's company.
My stomach tightened.
“Why would Sean create a company using my mother's property's name?”
“I don't know yet. But I want you to avoid signing anything until we understand what's happening.”
Then Marisol asked a question that made my skin prickle.
“Rachel, do you remember Lena Ortiz?”
Of course I remembered Lena.
She had worked for Sean for almost eight years.
She was meticulous, quiet, and extraordinarily good with numbers.
Two months earlier, Sean announced she had resigned.
At the time, he'd complained that Lena had become difficult and suspicious.
Marisol continued.
“I heard there was a disagreement over some financial paperwork shortly before she left. She may know more about these transactions.”
After we ended the call, I sat for several minutes.
Then I made my second important phone call.
Lena answered on the fourth ring.
“Rachel?”
“Lena, I need to ask you something.”
There was a long silence.
“Is this about Sean?”
“Yes.”
She lowered her voice.
“Are you alone?”
I looked around the empty kitchen.
“Yes.”
“Good. Because there's something you need to know.”
My heart pounded.
She explained that Sean hadn't accepted her resignation.
He had fired her.
The disagreement involved several documents he wanted her to process.
Documents connected to Willow House.
“Lena, what documents?”
“I kept copies of correspondence sent directly to me and records from transactions I was responsible for reviewing. I refused to approve them because the signatures didn't make sense.”
“Whose signatures?”
She hesitated.
“Yours.”
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“I never signed anything for Sean's company.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“I tried to reach you through the office once. Sean found out and threatened legal action if I continued. I should have contacted you directly.”
I closed my eyes.
“Lena, please tell me what happened.”
She took a slow breath.
“Sean and Nancy have been working together on a property transaction.”
“Nancy?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of transaction?”
“The kind that could cost you Willow House.”
I looked at the photograph of my mother sitting on the windowsill.
“Can you bring me what you have?”
“When?”
“Friday evening. Seven-oh-five.”
Lena hesitated.
“Will Sean be there?”
“Yes.”
“Will Nancy?”
“Yes.”
Another silence.
Then she said, “I'll come.”
Before hanging up, I asked one final question.
“Lena, why is Monday so important?”
Her answer changed everything.
“Because Monday morning at nine, Rachel, they're planning to finalize a transaction involving your mother's house.”
May you like
I felt my breath catch.
“And if you don't stop it before then, you could be fighting for years to get it back.”
