Chapter 2: The Envelope She Didn't Want Me to See
I didn't touch the envelope immediately.
I just stared at it.
My name was written across the front.
*MARCUS REED.*
The handwriting belonged to Jordan.
I looked at him.
"What's this?""
He glanced at Nia.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
"Don't," she whispered.
I picked up the envelope.
"That's enough. Both of you. I'm done watching you communicate with your eyes while I'm standing right here.""
Jordan stepped backward.
"Open it.""
Nia moved toward me.
"Marcus, please. Whatever you think is happening, it isn't what you think.""
I turned toward her.
"Then why are you afraid of an envelope?""
She didn't answer.
I pulled out the folded papers.
The first page looked like a bank statement.
The second appeared to be a printed transaction history.
The third was a photograph of a document bearing my signature.
I frowned.
"What am I looking at?""
Jordan spoke carefully.
"Do you remember the investment account you opened last year?""
"Of course.""
I had worked hard to build that account. It contained money we'd saved for a future home, emergency expenses, and eventually children.
I had deposited money into it every month.
"What's it got to do with you?""
Jordan rubbed his palms together.
"There's been money moving out of that account.""
I looked at Nia.
She stared at the floor.
"How much?""
Jordan answered.
"Forty-eight thousand dollars.""
For a moment, the room seemed to tilt.
"What?""
"Forty-eight thousand," he repeated.
I flipped through the pages.
There were several transfers, each made on different dates.
Five thousand.
Eight thousand.
Twelve thousand.
Another seven thousand.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
"Who authorized these?""
Jordan didn't answer.
I looked at Nia.
"Did you?""
She started crying.
"Marcus, let me explain.""
"Did you transfer forty-eight thousand dollars out of our savings account?""
"I was going to tell you.""
"When?""
She wiped her cheeks.
"I needed time.""
"Time for what?""
Jordan finally spoke.
"She wanted to invest in a business.""
I turned toward him.
"What business?""
He hesitated.
"Mine.""
Silence.
I looked at him.
Then at my wife.
Then back at him.
"You're telling me my wife took money from our savings and gave it to you?""
Nia shook her head quickly.
"I didn't give it to him!""
Jordan's jaw tightened.
"That's not what you told me.""
"Jordan, shut up!""
I held up my hand.
"Nobody is leaving until I understand what's happening.""
Nia walked toward the dresser and grabbed a tissue.
"I found out about Jordan's business last year. He was trying to open a property renovation company. He needed investors.""
I laughed once.
It wasn't because anything was funny.
"You decided to become his investor?""
"He had a good plan.""
"And I didn't deserve to know?""
"I knew you'd say no.""
"Exactly!""
My voice echoed against the bedroom walls.
She flinched.
I lowered my voice.
"That money wasn't sitting there because I had nothing better to do with it. We saved it together.""
Nia looked at me.
"I was thinking about our future.""
"Our future?""
"Yes!""
"By secretly giving money to your ex-boyfriend?""
She covered her face.
Jordan stepped between us.
"Don't put all the blame on her. I asked her for help.""
I stared at him.
"Then you should have asked me.""
"I knew you wouldn't agree.""
"You're right. I wouldn't have.""
He nodded.
"That's why she helped me privately.""
I looked at the papers again.
Something didn't make sense.
The transactions were dated across eight months.
Eight months of secret withdrawals.
Eight months of Nia sitting beside me at dinner, asking whether we could afford a vacation, discussing furniture for a bigger house, and talking about our future.
All while our savings were disappearing.
"Where is the money now?"" I asked.
Jordan looked uncomfortable.
"Some of it went into the company. Some covered operating expenses.""
"And the rest?""
He didn't answer.
I turned to Nia.
"Where's the rest?""
She whispered something.
"What?""
"Some of it was used for personal expenses.""
I stared at her.
"Whose personal expenses?""
Jordan looked at the window.
That was when I understood.
"Yours?""
Nia nodded.
"Jordan was having trouble keeping the company running. I helped with rent, equipment, and a few other things.""
I sat on the edge of the bed.
My legs suddenly felt weak.
"How much?""
She didn't answer.
"How much of our money went toward his personal expenses?""
"About fourteen thousand.""
I closed my eyes.
Fourteen thousand dollars.
My wife had spent fourteen thousand dollars supporting her ex-boyfriend while I was working overtime to make sure we could afford the house we wanted.
Jordan moved closer.
"I never wanted this to become a problem between you two.""
I looked up.
"Then why did you accept the money?""
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then said, "Because I needed it.""
I nodded slowly.
"Of course you did.""
Nia approached me.
"Marcus, please. I can explain everything. I wasn't trying to hurt you.""
I looked at her wedding ring.
The same ring I had slipped onto her finger four years earlier.
"Did you ever plan to tell me?""
She started crying harder.
"Yes.""
"When?""
"Once the business started making money.""
I stared at her.
"So you were going to wait until your ex-boyfriend became successful before telling your husband you'd secretly invested his savings in him?""
"That's not fair.""
I stood up.
"Fair?""
She looked away.
Jordan picked up his phone.
"Maybe I should give you two some time.""
I pointed toward the door.
"Go.""
He walked toward the hallway.
But before he reached it, I noticed something.
The final page in the envelope wasn't a bank statement.
It was a printed agreement.
At the bottom was my name.
My signature.
And a date from three months earlier.
I stared at it.
"What is this?""
Nia immediately reached for the paper.
"Don't worry about that.""
I pulled it away.
"Don't touch it.""
I read the heading.
It was a personal guarantee for a business loan.
My name was listed as the guarantor.
I looked at Jordan.
"What the hell is this?""
He stopped walking.
Nia's face drained of color.
Jordan slowly turned around.
"She told me you had agreed.""
I looked at my wife.
"Agreed to what?""
Nia's lips trembled.
"Marcus, I can explain.""
I held up the document.
"Did you forge my signature?""
She didn't answer.
I looked at Jordan again.
"Did you know I never signed this?""
His silence was enough.
My hands began shaking.
The money was bad enough.
But this document meant someone had put my financial future at risk without my knowledge.
I took out my phone.
"Jordan, don't move.""
He frowned.
"What are you doing?""
"Calling my lawyer.""
Nia rushed toward me.
"Please don't!""
I looked at her.
For the first time in four years, I didn't recognize the woman standing in front of me.
Then Jordan said something that made my blood run cold.
"Marcus, if you're going to call someone, you should know there's another document.""
I slowly lowered my phone.
"What other document?""
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Jordan looked at Nia.
And this time, she didn't even try to stop him.
