Chapter 2 - The SignatureMichael sent me the filing documents.
I printed everything.
Then Emily and I sat at my kitchen table.
She stared at the signature.
“That isn't mine.”
I already knew.
The handwriting looked similar.
But there was something wrong with the final letter.
Emily had always crossed her lowercase “t” with a long horizontal line.
This signature didn't.
“Someone copied it.”
She looked at me.
“Mom…”
“Yes?”
“What if Daniel goes to jail?”
I reached across the table.
“That isn't your responsibility.”
“But I married him.”
“You married the man you thought he was.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“He wasn't always like this.”
“I know.”
“That's what makes it so confusing.”
I nodded.
“People don't always show their worst selves at the beginning.”
Emily looked at the documents.
“What are we going to do?”
“We're going to let him believe nothing has changed.”
She stared at me.
“Why?”
“Because he thinks Friday is his deadline.”
I smiled.
“Let's make it ours.”
That evening, Daniel called.
Emily looked at the phone.
“Should I answer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I want him to believe you're still afraid.”
She swallowed.
Then answered.
“Hello?”
Daniel's voice was immediately softer.
“Emily.”
She looked at me.
“What?”
“Where are you?”
“At Mom's.”
“You need to come home.”
“No.”
A pause.
“Emily, don't let your mother poison you against me.”
I rolled my eyes.
He continued.
“I know you're upset.”
“You grabbed me.”
“I was angry.”
“You scared me.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“No, you didn't.”
Silence.
Then his voice became colder.
“You need to come home before you make a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You'll find out.”
Emily looked at me.
I motioned for her to keep him talking.
“What happens Friday?” she asked.
Nothing.
Then:
“What did your mother tell you?”
Emily froze.
He knew.
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I'm not.”
“You're making this difficult.”
“Maybe I am.”
Daniel laughed.
“You really think your mother can save you?”
I felt my blood run cold.
Then he said:
“She doesn't know what she's dealing with.”
Emily's voice trembled.
“What does that mean?”
“Come home.”
“No.”
“Then you'll regret it.”
The call ended.
I immediately saved the recording.
Emily stared at me.
“He threatened me.”
“Yes.”
“What do we do now?”
I looked at the clock.
“Now we wait.”
At 11:43 p.m., someone tried to access Emily's bank account.
The security system flagged it.
Michael had already placed protective measures on her accounts.
The login came from Daniel's computer.
He wasn't just trying to steal the house.
He was trying to empty her remaining accounts.
Then another notification appeared.
A new email had been created using Emily's name.
A business account.
Connected to the same lender.
The four-hundred-eighty-thousand-dollar lien was only part of the scheme.
Daniel had apparently been preparing to open a company under Emily's identity.
The debt would belong to her.
The house would secure it.
And once the money disappeared, he would leave her with the consequences.
I stared at the screen.
“Mom?”
I looked at Emily.
“This is bigger than I thought.”
She whispered:
“What are we going to do?”
May you like
I smiled.
“Tomorrow, we let Daniel think he has won.”
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