Chapter 3: The House Was Never Supposed to Be Mine
For several seconds, the only sound in the living room was the rain tapping against the windows.
Nia stood frozen on the staircase.
Danielle moved closer to me.
"Marcus, don't let her take that envelope.""
I looked at my wife.
"Is that true?""
Nia swallowed.
"Let me explain.""
I held up the loan application.
"Did you apply for an $85,000 loan using my information?""
She shook her head.
"Not exactly.""
I stared at her.
"What does 'not exactly' mean?""
"Jordan was helping me understand my options.""
"Your options?""
She came down another step.
"Marcus, I wasn't trying to steal from you.""
"Then why is my salary on this application?""
"I was told it was necessary.""
"Who told you?""
"Jordan.""
I looked toward Danielle.
My sister's expression was furious.
"She's lying," Danielle said.
Nia turned sharply.
"Stay out of this!""
Danielle stepped forward.
"Don't you dare speak to me like that. I spent three days at the hospital helping Mom while you were sneaking around behind my brother's back.""
"That's none of your business.""
"Actually, it became my business when I found your name on a loan application attached to his identity.""
Nia looked at me.
"Marcus, please. You know how difficult things have been between us.""
I shook my head.
"Don't change the subject.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Jordan said we could protect ourselves financially.""
"From me?""
"He said the house could become a problem if we divorced.""
I stared at her.
The house.
My house.
I'd bought it two years before meeting Nia.
I'd spent months renovating it, painting the walls, replacing the kitchen cabinets, and installing the hardwood floors myself.
When we got married, I added her name to the household insurance and made sure she had access to everything she needed.
But the deed remained in my name.
Not because I didn't trust her.
Because I had purchased the property before our relationship.
We had discussed it openly.
She had agreed.
Now I was beginning to understand why she had suddenly become so interested in the property's value.
"Did Jordan tell you to apply for that loan?"" I asked.
Nia nodded.
"He said it would give me financial security.""
"By borrowing against a property you don't own?""
"Not like that.""
"Then explain it!""
She took a shaky breath.
"He said there was a way to use your financial information to establish that we were both responsible for the property.""
I looked at Danielle.
She slowly shook her head.
"That isn't how it works.""
I turned back to Nia.
"Did you sign anything?""
She hesitated.
That hesitation was all I needed.
"Did you?""
"Marcus—"
"Did you sign anything using my name?""
Her eyes filled.
"Jordan prepared some paperwork.""
"What paperwork?""
"I didn't know what everything meant.""
I stepped back.
"You're telling me you signed documents using my identity without understanding them?""
"I trusted him!""
The words echoed through the living room.
And then she realized what she had said.
I stared at her.
"You trusted him.""
She covered her mouth.
I felt something inside me go quiet.
For months, I had been working overtime to save money for our future. I had postponed buying a new car. I'd canceled a vacation because our savings weren't where I wanted them to be.
I'd even taken extra shifts during weekends.
All because I believed we were building a life together.
Meanwhile, my wife had trusted another man to make financial decisions involving my home.
Danielle opened the envelope again.
"Marcus, there's something else.""
She pulled out a printed email.
It had been sent from an address belonging to Jordan.
The subject line read:
*PRIVATE PLAN — BEFORE HE FINDS OUT.*
My hands tightened around the paper.
I began reading.
The message discussed a loan, a possible transfer of funds, and an arrangement involving another property.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
Once the money is released, we'll have enough to leave. Marcus won't be able to stop it. By the time he understands what's happened, everything will already be in place.
I read it again.
Then I looked at the sender.
Jordan.
The recipient?
Nia.
I raised my eyes.
"You're planning to leave me?""
Nia shook her head.
"No.""
"Then what does this mean?""
"That email was taken out of context.""
"What context?""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
I held up the email.
"Tell me what part I'm misunderstanding.""
Her shoulders began trembling.
"Jordan said he could help me start a business.""
I frowned.
"What business?""
"A boutique.""
I almost laughed.
"A boutique?""
"Yes.""
"With an $85,000 loan using my identity?""
"That wasn't how he explained it!""
Danielle crossed her arms.
"Then why does the email say you were planning to leave together?""
Nia looked at her.
"Because Jordan was trying to convince me to trust him!""
The room went silent.
I slowly lowered the paper.
"What?""
Nia pressed her palms against her forehead.
"He kept telling me you were going to leave me. He said you were secretly preparing a divorce. He said if I didn't protect myself, I'd end up with nothing.""
I stared at her.
"And you believed him.""
"I was scared!""
"Did you ever ask me whether I was divorcing you?""
She shook her head.
"Did you ever ask me whether I was hiding money?""
Another shake.
"Did you ever think to ask your husband before making financial arrangements with the man you once had an affair of the heart with?""
She began crying harder.
"Marcus, I made a mistake.""
I looked at the email again.
"How many mistakes?""
She didn't answer.
Danielle took another document from the envelope.
"This is why I came.""
It was a printed message exchange.
The first message was from Jordan.
She'll eventually sign. Just keep telling her he's hiding money.
The reply came from Nia.
What if Marcus finds out?
Jordan answered:
He won't. By then, we'll have the money.
Then another message.
And what about the house?
Jordan's response was short.
That's the part I'm handling.
I looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Nia wiped her face.
"I don't know.""
Danielle shook her head.
"Marcus, there's something about the property paperwork you need to see.""
She handed me another sheet.
It was a document from the county property records office.
My name appeared at the top.
Below it was a request to change the ownership information.
The document hadn't been completed.
But attached to it was a draft transfer agreement.
My eyes moved down the page.
There was a proposed new owner.
Jordan Blake.
I stopped breathing for a moment.
"Why is Jordan's name on a document transferring my house?""
Nia immediately shook her head.
"I didn't sign that!""
I turned toward her.
"Did you know about it?""
"No.""
Danielle pointed at the bottom.
"Look at the date.""
Three weeks earlier.
Before Nia had supposedly discovered the suspicious bank statements.
Before she had contacted Jordan about my finances.
Before the story she had just told me.
I looked at her.
"You knew about this three weeks ago?""
"No.""
"Then why does the document have your signature as a witness?""
She stepped backward.
I held the page closer.
Her signature was unmistakable.
Nia began shaking her head.
"That's not what it looks like.""
"Then tell me what it looks like!""
She looked toward the front door.
For a second, I thought she was going to run.
Instead, she sat down on the bottom step.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Jordan said it was temporary.""
I felt the room tilt.
"What's temporary?""
"The property transfer.""
"Why would you agree to transfer my house to him?""
She covered her face.
"Because he promised me something.""
"What?""
She looked up at me.
Her eyes were red.
Her voice was barely audible.
"He said he would give me half the money from the sale.""
I stared at her.
"Sale?""
She nodded.
"He said the house was worth more than we thought. He had a buyer.""
I felt sick.
"Who?""
Nia looked toward Danielle.
Then back at me.
And finally, she said a name.
"Your mother.""
I couldn't move.
"My mother?""
Nia nodded slowly.
"Jordan said your mother wanted to buy the house.""
Danielle's face changed immediately.
"That's impossible.""
Nia looked at her.
"She contacted him.""
"No, she didn't.""
"She told him she wanted to help me.""
Danielle stepped forward.
"Marcus, Mom has never spoken to Jordan.""
Nia began crying again.
"She did! She called him!""
I pulled out my phone.
My mother was recovering from surgery. She had been staying with Danielle for the past several weeks.
I called her immediately.
She answered after three rings.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
"Mom, I need to ask you something.""
Her voice changed when she heard mine.
"What's wrong?""
"Have you spoken to Jordan Blake?""
A long silence.
Then my mother asked quietly:
"Marcus, why are you asking me about that man?""
I looked at Nia.
She was staring at me, her hands clasped tightly together.
"Mom, did Jordan contact you about buying my house?""
Another silence.
Then my mother whispered something that made my blood turn cold.
"Son, Jordan came to see me at the hospital last week.""
I gripped the phone.
"What did he want?""
My mother's voice trembled.
"He brought me a document to sign.""
"What document?""
"A letter saying I agreed to sell him the property.""
I closed my eyes.
"Mom, did you sign it?""
"No, sweetheart.""
I exhaled.
Then she added:
"But he showed me a photograph of you signing something.""
My eyes snapped open.
"What photograph?""
My mother began crying.
"He said you had already agreed to give him the house.""
I looked at the unfinished property transfer document in my hand.
And suddenly, I understood that Jordan hadn't simply been trying to take money from us.
He had been trying to steal my home.
But the worst part was still coming.
My mother lowered her voice.
"Marcus, there's something else you need to know.""
"What?""
"Jordan didn't come alone.""
I looked at Nia.
"Who was with him?""
My mother hesitated.
May you like
Then she said:
"Your wife.""
