Chapter 7 - The Plan With My Name on It
For the first time since the anniversary dinner, I became genuinely afraid.
Not of Liam physically.
Of what his lies could do to my future.
My credit.
My reputation.
My ability to provide for Hailey.
I handed the anonymous package to Danielle.
She read the email twice.
“Don’t panic.”
“I’m trying.”
“This could be fabricated.”
“Do you think it is?”
“No.”
At least she respected me enough not to lie.
Martin confirmed that several accounts contained my information.
One listed me as a financial administrator.
Another had an electronic authorization supposedly from me.
“I’ve never even heard of these businesses,” I said.
“That helps,” Martin replied.
“How?”
“Because people who actually manage accounts tend to leave footprints.”
“I have none.”
“Exactly.”
I thought back through the last two years.
The papers Liam occasionally asked me to sign.
Tax forms.
Insurance renewals.
Mortgage documents.
Had I signed something without reading it?
I hated the possibility.
I hated that trust had made me careless.
That evening, Ethan came over.
He brought Thai food and held Hailey while I ate.
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I haven’t slept.”
“Because of Liam?”
“Because apparently I’ve been running three companies in my spare time.”
He stopped bouncing Hailey.
“What?”
I explained the basics.
Not everything.
Danielle had warned me to keep details limited.
Ethan’s expression darkened.
“He used your name?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m going to—”
“You’re going to do nothing.”
“He framed you.”
“We don’t know that yet.”
“Emma.”
“I need evidence, not a brother in jail because he punched somebody.”
Ethan looked offended.
“I wasn’t going to punch him.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Fine.”
He adjusted Hailey.
“I was thinking about it.”
Despite everything, I smiled.
Then he said, “You know Dad always hated Liam.”
“Our father hated everyone I dated.”
“No. Dad tolerated Daniel.”
“Daniel collected knives.”
“He was polite.”
I laughed.
It felt strange and good.
Then Ethan became serious.
“What did Dad say before the wedding?”
I remembered.
Dad had died eighteen months earlier.
A sudden heart attack.
He had loved Liam publicly.
Privately, he once asked me one question.
Does he make you feel secure, or does he make you feel lucky he chose you?
At the time, I had been offended.
Now I understood the difference.
“Dad thought Liam needed admiration.”
Ethan nodded.
“He told me something else.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“The night before your wedding.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did he say?”
“He said he saw Liam downtown with a woman.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“Who?”
“He didn’t know.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He wasn’t sure what he saw.”
“Ethan.”
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“Not exactly.”
“You just said—”
“Dad told me he saw Liam arguing with a blond woman outside a hotel.”
Rachel.
“He asked me if he should tell you.”
“And what did you say?”
Ethan looked miserable.
“I told him Liam had a lot of female friends and he shouldn’t ruin your wedding over something he couldn’t prove.”
I stood.
Hailey stirred.
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Emma, I’m sorry.”
I turned toward the window.
Seventeen days later, Dad was gone.
He had taken that uncertainty with him.
“No more secrets.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I faced my brother.
“I mean it. If you remember anything else, anything, you tell me.”
“I will.”
The next morning, Liam appeared at Danielle’s office with his own attorney.
He wanted mediation.
Danielle called me.
“Are you interested?”
“In what?”
“He’s offering to return the twenty-six thousand and give you the house.”
I froze.
“For what?”
“In exchange, you waive further claims on Northstar.”
I actually laughed.
Danielle did too.
“That was my reaction.”
“He thinks I’m stupid.”
“He thinks you’re scared.”
I looked at Hailey.
“I am scared.”
“Good.”
“What?”
“Fear makes careful people.”
I smiled faintly.
“And reckless people?”
“Make settlement offers like Liam’s.”
We declined.
Four hours later, Liam called me from a blocked number.
I answered.
“Emma, stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Digging.”
“Why?”
“You’re making things worse.”
“For you?”
“For everyone.”
“Who is everyone?”
Silence.
I continued.
“Liam, if you want this to stop, tell me why my name is on accounts I’ve never seen.”
He breathed into the phone.
“I can explain.”
“Go ahead.”
“Not over the phone.”
“Then through our attorneys.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Sophia has copies of everything.”
The sentence surprised me.
“So?”
“So she’ll destroy me.”
I gripped the phone.
“Liam, I am not trying to save you.”
“I know.”
His voice changed.
For the first time, he sounded genuinely frightened.
“I’m asking you to save yourself.”
Then he hung up.
That night Sophia Grant vanished.
Not dramatically.
Her apartment was empty.
Her employer could not reach her.
Her phone had been disconnected.
May you like
And before leaving, she had withdrawn nearly ninety thousand dollars from an account carrying my name.
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