Chapter 5: My Brother Had Been Stealing More Than Money
I didn't sleep that night.
At eleven thirty, I was sitting in my home office with the company's financial records spread across two monitors.
The house was quiet.
Lily had fallen asleep in the guest bedroom with my mother nearby. Rachel had taken Oliver to a nearby hotel after agreeing to return the following morning with his medical records.
Vanessa was upstairs.
I had told her not to come near me.
She had tried twice.
The first time, she brought coffee.
The second time, she brought a photograph of Lily as a baby.
I closed the door both times.
I couldn't look at her without remembering the name on the birth certificate.
At midnight, Michael sent another email.
There were seven suspicious transactions.
Each had been approved using credentials associated with my account.
The money had been transferred to three different businesses.
I recognized two names.
The third meant nothing to me.
I called Michael.
"Tell me what you've found.""
He sounded exhausted.
"We traced the transfers. Two went to companies registered in Delaware. The third went to an account connected to a consulting business in Boston.""
"Ethan's business?""
"That's what we're investigating.""
"Who approved the invoices?""
"According to the system, you did.""
"Show me.""
Michael sent a screen recording.
I watched the transaction history.
There was my digital signature.
My employee identification number.
My approval code.
Everything looked legitimate.
Except I had never approved any of it.
"Michael, I want every access record preserved. Contact our outside counsel. Nobody deletes anything.""
"Already done.""
"Good.""
He hesitated.
"Daniel, there's another issue.""
"What?""
"The consulting company was created eighteen months ago.""
I leaned back.
"Who owns it?""
"An individual named Vanessa Cole.""
I stopped.
"Vanessa what?""
"Vanessa Cole. The company registration lists Ethan Cole as a director.""
My wife's maiden name was Brooks.
She had never used Cole.
I opened the attached registration.
There it was.
Vanessa Cole.
My wife's signature appeared at the bottom of the document.
I felt a chill move through me.
"Michael, send me everything.""
After the call, I sat staring at the screen.
Ethan hadn't simply been stealing money.
He had created a company with my wife's involvement.
I heard footsteps in the hallway.
The office door opened.
Vanessa stood there.
Her eyes were swollen, and she wore one of my old sweatshirts.
"Daniel, can we talk?""
"No.""
"Please.""
I pointed toward the door.
"Get out.""
She didn't move.
"Did you see the messages from Ethan?""
I looked at her.
"What messages?""
She pulled out her phone.
"He sent me something.""
I didn't reach for it.
"What?""
"He said you were looking into the money.""
"How does he know?""
"He must have access to your email.""
I stood.
"Show me.""
She unlocked her phone and handed it over.
The message was from Ethan.
If Daniel discovers the account, tell him the transfers were approved for the property development. Don't mention the consulting company.
A second message followed.
And don't let him speak to Rachel alone.
I looked up.
"Why is Ethan afraid of Rachel?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I scrolled.
There were dozens of messages.
Some were about the baby.
Others were about money.
Then I found a conversation from two months earlier.
Vanessa had written:
I need you to tell Daniel the money is an investment.
Ethan replied:
I'm not telling him anything. You signed the paperwork too.
Vanessa:
You said it was temporary.
Ethan:
You wanted to help me. Don't pretend otherwise.
I handed the phone back.
"You knew.""
She started crying.
"I didn't know he was stealing.""
"You signed the paperwork.""
"He said it was a business investment.""
"Did you receive any money?""
She shook her head.
I stared at her.
"Look at me and tell me the truth.""
She looked up.
"I received some.""
"How much?""
"Twenty thousand.""
I laughed.
"Twenty thousand dollars?""
"He said it was payment for consulting.""
"You don't work for my company.""
"I know.""
"Then what did you consult on?""
She looked away.
I felt my anger rising.
"Vanessa.""
"I helped him arrange meetings with some investors.""
I sat down slowly.
My wife had been helping my brother build a financial scheme while pretending to be pregnant with his child.
"Why?""
"He told me he needed the money to start over. He said he wanted to take Oliver somewhere safe.""
"Somewhere safe?""
"He was talking about moving to Florida.""
I stared at her.
"With you?""
She began crying.
"I thought we might eventually be together.""
There it was.
The truth beneath every lie.
"You were planning to leave me?""
Vanessa covered her face.
"I didn't know what I wanted.""
"You knew enough to steal from my company.""
She looked at me.
"Ethan said you had more money than you needed.""
I stood so quickly that my chair rolled backward.
"Get out.""
"Daniel—"
"Now.""
She left.
I locked the door.
Then I called our attorney.
By one in the morning, I had a meeting scheduled for the following day.
But the most disturbing discovery was still waiting in the financial records.
At 1:47 a.m., Michael sent a final attachment.
It was a property purchase agreement.
The consulting company had recently paid a deposit on a house outside Tampa, Florida.
The buyer's name was Vanessa Cole.
The deposit was $95,000.
The expected closing date was November 12.
Seven days away.
I stared at the document.
Vanessa hadn't been planning to stay.
She had been preparing to leave.
And she had apparently intended to take the money, the baby, and possibly my daughter with her.
I opened the bedroom door at two in the morning.
Vanessa was sitting on the edge of the bed.
She looked up.
"What?""
I placed the property agreement on her lap.
"What's this?""
She glanced down.
Her face drained of color.
"Where did you get that?""
"From the company records.""
She closed the document.
"Daniel, I can explain.""
"You bought a house in Florida?""
She didn't answer.
"With stolen money?""
"It's not stolen.""
"Then what is it?""
She began crying.
"Ethan said it was temporary.""
I shook my head.
"You're going to need a better explanation than that.""
She looked at me.
"I was going to leave.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"With Oliver?""
"Yes.""
"And Lily?""
She lowered her eyes.
"I wanted both children.""
I stepped closer.
"You were going to take my daughter?""
"I thought we could work something out.""
"Without telling me?""
She began sobbing.
"I was scared you would never forgive me.""
I stared at her.
"You were right.""
She reached for my hand.
I moved away.
"Don't touch me.""
She began crying harder.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"Ethan told me you would never find out because he had already taken care of the legal paperwork.""
I frowned.
"What paperwork?""
She looked at the floor.
"The company authorization. The property documents. Everything.""
I stared at her.
"Did you sign anything in my name?""
"No.""
"Did Ethan?""
She didn't answer.
I felt a new wave of dread.
"Vanessa, did he forge my signature?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"On what?""
"The company documents.""
I stepped back.
"How many?""
"I don't know.""
"How many?""
She whispered, "Three.""
I left the bedroom.
I couldn't listen to another word.
At six in the morning, I drove to my office.
Michael was waiting in the conference room with our outside attorney, Laura Bennett.
Laura had been handling our corporate legal matters for four years. She was direct, experienced, and not easily impressed.
She looked at the documents.
Then she looked at me.
"Daniel, we need to discuss the authorization.""
I nodded.
"Tell me.""
She opened the property file.
"The signature on this document appears to have been copied from your original corporate authorization.""
"Can you prove it?""
"We can request forensic verification.""
"Do it.""
She turned to another page.
"But there's something more concerning.""
"What?""
"Your brother submitted a document claiming you personally guaranteed a loan of $450,000.""
I stared at her.
"What loan?""
"A commercial loan connected to the Florida property purchase.""
I felt cold.
"Did the bank approve it?""
"Not yet. They're waiting for additional verification.""
I closed my eyes.
"Freeze everything.""
Laura nodded.
"We've already sent a preliminary notice disputing the authorization.""
I looked at Michael.
"How much of the company's money is missing?""
"Two hundred and eighty thousand.""
"And the loan?""
"Four hundred and fifty thousand.""
I stared at the table.
Seven hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
That was no longer an affair gone wrong.
It was a financial crime.
Laura closed the file.
"Daniel, I strongly recommend that you report the forged documents and preserve all communications.""
I nodded.
"I will.""
Then Michael cleared his throat.
"There's one more thing.""
I looked at him.
He turned his laptop toward me.
"We recovered an email from Ethan's business account.""
The subject line read:
*FAMILY TRANSFER — FINAL ARRANGEMENTS.*
I opened it.
The message was addressed to Vanessa.
Once the house closes, we leave together. Daniel will be too distracted by the baby scandal to notice the company transfer until it's too late.
My hands tightened.
Then I read the final paragraph.
There's only one problem. We need to make sure Lily comes with us.
I stared at the screen.
My daughter.
My four-year-old daughter.
They had included her in their plans.
I immediately called the school and instructed them not to release Lily to anyone except me or the individuals specifically authorized by our attorney.
Then I called my mother.
"Where is Lily?""
"She's with me.""
"Keep her there. Don't let Vanessa take her anywhere.""
My mother went quiet.
"Daniel, what's happened?""
"I'll explain later. Just keep Lily safe.""
I ended the call.
Laura looked at me.
"Do you think your brother intends to take your daughter?""
"I don't know.""
I stared at the email.
"But I'm done assuming these people will stop at the next line they cross.""
Then another email arrived.
This one came from an address I didn't recognize.
The subject line contained only four words.
*YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LILY.*
I opened it.
There was no greeting.
No explanation.
Just a photograph.
It showed Lily sitting in the back seat of a car.
Beside her was Ethan.
May you like
And beneath the photograph was a sentence that made my blood run cold.
Your brother has been telling your daughter that he is her real father.
