Chapter 3: The Signature That Changed Everything
I had seen Daniel's signature thousands of times.
On birthday cards.
On school permission slips.
On mortgage documents.
It was unmistakable.
The signature at the bottom of the notebook belonged to him.
I looked at Jordan.
"Where did you find this?""
"In Mom's desk drawer.""
Tasha shook her head.
"Those are private documents. You don't understand what you're looking at.""
"Then explain it," I said.
She pressed her palms together.
"Daniel and I were trying to help you.""
I stared at her.
"Help me?""
"Your financial situation isn't as good as you think.""
A strange laugh escaped me.
"What does that have to do with hotel rooms?""
Tasha ignored the question.
"Daniel said you were overwhelmed. He told me you didn't understand the business accounts.""
My stomach tightened.
Daniel and I owned a small property renovation company.
It had started with one neglected rental house and a loan from my father. Over seven years, we had grown it into a business with several rental properties and a modest renovation operation.
I handled most of the paperwork.
Daniel handled contractors and clients.
At least, that was what I believed.
"What accounts?"" I asked.
Tasha glanced at the notebook.
"There's a loan.""
"What loan?""
She didn't answer.
I flipped through the pages.
There were account numbers, payment dates, and figures much larger than anything I remembered authorizing.
Then I found a photocopy of a document.
My name appeared at the top.
Below it was a signature that looked almost like mine.
Almost.
But I hadn't signed it.
I looked up.
"Daniel forged my signature?""
Tasha closed her eyes.
"Don't use that word.""
"What word would you prefer?""
"Laura, listen. The business was struggling. Daniel needed money to keep things running.""
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
"He didn't want to worry you.""
I stared at her.
"And your solution was to sleep with him?""
Her cheeks flushed.
"That's not fair.""
I stepped closer.
"Fair?""
My voice rose.
"You pushed my eight-year-old daughter because she saw you kissing her father. You threatened her into silence. And now you're telling me I should be understanding because you were helping my husband steal from our business?""
Tasha's expression changed.
"I didn't steal anything.""
Jordan looked down.
Then he spoke.
"Mom, what about the money you sent to the other account?""
Tasha turned toward him.
"Stop talking.""
"Why?""
"Because you have no idea what you're doing.""
"I know you told me we were moving.""
My head snapped toward him.
"Moving where?""
Jordan looked at me.
"Florida.""
Tasha rubbed her temples.
"That was only an idea.""
Jordan continued.
"Mom said after the papers were signed, we'd leave. She said Daniel would come later.""
The kitchen seemed to tilt again.
I looked at the notebook.
The forged signature.
The loan.
The transfers.
The hotel receipts.
Suddenly, the affair no longer looked like a reckless secret.
It looked like part of a plan.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I let it ring twice before answering.
"Hello?""
"Hey, babe. Is everything okay?""
His voice sounded normal.
Comfortable.
As if he were sitting in his car, preparing to come home to his wife and daughter.
I looked at Tasha.
She was staring at me, silently begging me not to say anything.
I smiled without feeling it.
"Where are you?""
"Still at work. Why?""
"Which office?""
A pause.
"The downtown one.""
I looked at the hotel receipt.
The reservation was for a hotel less than fifteen minutes from his office.
"Are you alone?""
Another pause.
"Laura, what's going on?""
I heard a faint sound in the background.
A woman's laugh.
Then a door closing.
I recognized that laugh.
I had heard it at Christmas dinner.
At family barbecues.
At my daughter's birthday parties.
Tasha's.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Listen, I have to go. I'll call you later.""
"Daniel.""
"Yeah?""
"Do you remember what you promised me when we got married?""
Silence.
Then he sighed.
"Not now, Laura.""
I looked at my daughter, who was sitting quietly in the chair with frosting still smeared across her dress.
"You promised me that if anything ever went wrong, we'd tell each other the truth.""
"What's this about?""
I glanced at the envelope.
"Nothing. Drive safely.""
I ended the call.
Tasha exhaled.
"Thank you.""
I turned toward her.
"Don't thank me.""
I gathered the receipts, notebook, and photocopied documents.
"I'm not protecting you. I'm protecting my daughter until I understand exactly what you've done.""
Tasha reached for my arm.
"Laura, please. We can work this out.""
I stepped away.
"Don't touch me.""
Jordan quietly approached Maya.
"Do you want to come sit with me?""
Maya nodded.
He led her into the living room, leaving me alone with the woman who had once called herself my best friend.
I picked up the photocopied loan agreement again.
The document had been signed three months earlier.
But there was something strange about the date.
It was two days before Daniel had taken me to the hospital for what he claimed was a routine appointment.
I remembered that day clearly.
He had insisted I sign several forms while I was distracted.
He had told me they were insurance updates.
I turned the page over.
A second document was attached.
A property transfer agreement.
My house.
The house my father had helped me buy before I married Daniel.
The house where my daughter had taken her first steps.
The house Daniel had always called ours.
My name was printed beneath a transfer clause.
And beside it was the name of the person scheduled to receive ownership.
Tasha.
My phone vibrated again.
This time, it wasn't Daniel.
It was an unknown number.
The message contained a photograph.
I opened it.
It showed Daniel standing outside a courthouse, holding hands with Tasha.
The date was from two weeks earlier.
Beneath the photograph were seven words:
*You need to know what they filed yesterday.*
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*And Laura, don't let Daniel come home tonight.*
