Chapter 6: The Woman Who Was Paid to Betray Me
The following morning, I arrived at my office before seven.
I hadn't slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that sentence on the spreadsheet.
Resolve through domestic partner.
I kept wondering how long someone had been studying my life.
My business.
My properties.
My relationship.
By seven-thirty, Nicole arrived carrying two coffees and a laptop.
She placed one coffee on my desk.
"Tell me you found something useful.""
I turned my monitor toward her.
"I found this.""
She read the spreadsheet again.
Then she opened the original email.
"Did Ethan have access to your financial records?""
"Some project estimates. A few renovation budgets. Nothing like this.""
"Did you ever authorize him to review your property portfolio?""
"No.""
Nicole leaned back.
"Then we need to establish how he obtained this information.""
I opened another folder.
"There's more.""
I showed her the email history between Ethan and my company.
Most of it was ordinary business correspondence.
But one message stood out.
It had been sent from Ethan to Tasha.
The subject was simply:
*Our Arrangement.*
I had never seen it before.
Nicole opened the message.
The first paragraph was brief.
Everything is progressing as discussed. The lender has the preliminary information, and the brokerage is prepared to move once the ownership issue is resolved.
Below it was another sentence.
Your brother's contribution should be enough to cover the initial expenses.
Nicole stopped scrolling.
"Marcus, did you know Daniel had contributed money?""
"Not until last night.""
She nodded.
"That may be important.""
The message continued.
Remember, the goal is to create enough pressure that Marcus agrees to sell. Once the property is under contract, the remaining arrangements can be handled separately.
I stared at the screen.
"Pressure?""
Nicole closed the email.
"That's what we need to investigate.""
At eight-fifteen, Daniel called.
I put him on speaker.
"Marcus, I found something.""
"What?""
"Last night, after I left your house, I checked my messages again. I found an older conversation with Tasha.""
"Send it to Nicole.""
"I will. But there's something else.""
He hesitated.
"She told me Ethan had promised to give me a position in the investment company after the property deal went through.""
I frowned.
"What position?""
"Operations manager. He said they were going to expand into Atlanta and needed someone they could trust.""
I looked at Nicole.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Did Ethan ever contact you directly?"" I asked.
"Yes. Twice. He said Tasha had already explained everything.""
"What did he say?""
"He said I shouldn't worry about the legal details because their attorneys were handling them.""
Nicole leaned toward the phone.
"Daniel, did he ever send you an agreement?""
"Yes. A draft employment contract.""
"Please forward it.""
Daniel agreed.
A few minutes later, the file arrived.
Nicole opened it.
She scanned the first page.
Then the second.
Her expression changed.
"What?"" I asked.
She turned the screen toward me.
The contract listed Daniel as a prospective operations manager for Southern Crest Holdings.
The proposed salary was $145,000 annually.
But there was another section.
A signing bonus of $40,000 was payable upon completion of a specified acquisition.
The acquisition address was my home.
I rubbed my forehead.
"They were planning to pay him after taking my property?""
Nicole shook her head.
"That's what the draft suggests.""
Daniel was still on the phone.
"I swear, Marcus, I didn't know.""
"I believe you.""
He exhaled.
"There's one more thing I haven't told you.""
I looked at the phone.
"What?""
"Tasha asked me to attend a meeting tonight.""
"With whom?""
"Ethan. And someone from Southern Crest.""
Nicole immediately sat forward.
"Do you have the location?""
"Yes. A private office near Buckhead.""
"Did they tell you what the meeting was about?""
Daniel hesitated.
"They want me to sign a statement confirming that Marcus had agreed to sell the property.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Why would they need that?""
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"They said it would help resolve a disagreement with the brokerage.""
Nicole exchanged a look with me.
"Daniel, do not sign anything.""
"I won't.""
"Can you send us the invitation and any related messages?""
"Already doing it.""
After the call ended, Nicole stood and walked toward the window.
"We have a choice.""
I looked at her.
"What choice?""
"We can let the authorities and the lender handle this through the formal channels. Or we can gather additional information about the people involved, without interfering with the investigation.""
I considered it.
I didn't want revenge.
I wanted my identity protected, my properties secure, and the truth documented.
"Let's do it properly," I said.
"No games.""
Nicole nodded.
"Good.""
She made several calls.
By lunchtime, she had arranged a meeting with the lender's fraud department and requested that the relevant records be preserved.
She also contacted the brokerage to confirm that no sale had been authorized by me.
Then she reviewed Daniel's messages.
One conversation contained a voice note from Tasha.
Nicole played it.
Tasha's voice came through the laptop.
"Daniel, please don't make this complicated. Ethan knows what he's doing. Marcus will eventually agree once he realizes how much money we're talking about. You just need to confirm that you understood the arrangement.""
The voice note ended.
Nicole looked at me.
"There's no direct admission of fraud here, but it helps establish the discussions.""
I nodded.
"Keep it.""
At three in the afternoon, I received another call.
This time, it was from my office manager, Renee.
"Marcus, there's a woman downstairs asking to see you.""
"Who?""
"She says her name is Vanessa Cole.""
I frowned.
"Does she have an appointment?""
"No. But she says it's urgent.""
I looked at Nicole.
"Send her up.""
Ten minutes later, a woman in her early thirties entered my office.
She wore a gray blazer and carried a large handbag.
Her eyes were red, as though she had been crying.
"Mr. Bennett?""
"Yes.""
She glanced at Nicole.
"Can we speak privately?""
Nicole shook her head.
"Anything you need to discuss concerning the property or the investigation can be said in front of me.""
The woman swallowed.
"My name is Vanessa Cole.""
I recognized the surname.
"Are you related to Ethan?""
"I'm his wife.""
The room went quiet.
She placed her handbag on the chair.
Then she removed a small USB drive.
"I found something on his laptop.""
Nicole didn't touch it.
"What is it?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Documents. Messages. Recordings.""
"What kind of recordings?""
She took a breath.
"Conversations between Ethan and Tasha.""
I leaned forward.
"How did you find them?""
"Last night, Ethan came home late. He was drunk, and he left his laptop open in the kitchen. I saw Tasha's name on the screen.""
Her voice trembled.
"I thought he was having an affair.""
She looked down.
"Then I read the messages.""
Nicole remained cautious.
"Did you make copies without his permission?""
Vanessa nodded.
"I know. I understand that may be a problem. But when I saw what they were planning, I couldn't just pretend I hadn't seen it.""
She pushed the USB drive across the desk.
I didn't touch it.
"What exactly were they planning?""
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"Your house was only the beginning.""
I felt my shoulders tense.
"What does that mean?""
She opened her phone and showed us a photograph of an email.
The subject line read:
*Bennett Portfolio — Phase Two.*
Below it was a list of proposed acquisitions.
Three properties.
My company.
And a final item.
My personal bank accounts.
I stared at the screen.
"Why are my bank accounts listed?""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because Ethan told Tasha that once they had control of the property transaction, they could use the financial information to convince you to sign a broader investment agreement.""
Nicole leaned forward.
"Did Ethan say how?""
Vanessa nodded.
"He said Tasha would make you believe you were saving the relationship by signing.""
I felt sick.
For four years, I had believed Tasha wanted to build a future with me.
Apparently, someone had been planning to use that belief against me.
Nicole finally took the USB drive.
"Vanessa, I need you to understand that we won't open or distribute these files casually. We'll preserve them and coordinate with the appropriate investigators.""
She nodded.
"I understand.""
Then she looked at me.
"There's something else.""
I waited.
"Ethan doesn't know I copied the files.""
"Does he know you're here?""
She shook her head.
"No. But he might suspect.""
Her phone vibrated.
She looked at the screen.
The color drained from her face.
"What is it?"" I asked.
She turned the phone toward us.
A message from Ethan had just arrived.
*Where are you? We need to talk. I know what you found.*
Vanessa's hands began trembling.
Then another message appeared.
*And tell Marcus Bennett to stop digging before somebody gets hurt.*
I looked at Nicole.
She immediately reached for her phone.
"Nobody leaves alone," she said.
But before she could make the call, Vanessa received one final message.
This one contained a photograph.
It showed the front entrance of my house.
Taken less than ten minutes earlier.
And standing beside the front door was Tasha.
May you like
Underneath the photograph were five words.
*She's waiting for you, Marcus.*
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