Chapter 6: The Woman He Used as Collateral
Curtis returned to the dining room seven minutes later.
His expression had changed.
The confident smile was gone.
He had loosened his tie and was holding his phone so tightly that his knuckles looked pale.
Bianca was still seated by the window.
Her phone lay face down beside the unsigned loan agreement.
"Who was that message from?"" Curtis asked.
Bianca looked up.
"Why?""
"Because I saw you reading something.""
"An attorney.""
Curtis stopped.
"What attorney?""
"Marcus Reed.""
For a moment, Curtis looked as though someone had struck him.
Then he forced a laugh.
"Tessa's lawyer?""
"Yes.""
"What does he want?""
"To speak with me.""
Curtis pulled out the chair opposite her.
"Don't.""
Bianca raised an eyebrow.
"Why not?""
"Because he's trying to manipulate you.""
"About what?""
"About the old restaurant.""
Bianca leaned forward.
"Then tell me the truth about the old restaurant.""
Curtis looked toward the entrance.
Tessa was no longer there.
He seemed relieved.
"Listen, Bianca. Four years ago, the business was collapsing. We had creditors calling every day. I was trying to keep everyone paid.""
"Did you take money from the business account?""
"I already explained that.""
"Did you forge Tessa's signature on a personal guarantee?""
Curtis went completely still.
The question hung between them.
Bianca watched his face.
She didn't need a confession to recognize fear.
"Who told you that?"" he asked.
"Your reaction is interesting.""
"Bianca, that document is old.""
"Is it real?""
He rubbed his mouth.
"There were several documents during that period.""
"Did she sign it?""
Curtis stared at the table.
"She signed a lot of things.""
"That's not what I asked.""
He stood abruptly.
"Why are you doing this?""
Bianca remained seated.
"Because I was about to put my name on a loan for a man who apparently has a history of hiding debts and using other people's money.""
Curtis lowered his voice.
"You're exaggerating.""
"Then prove it.""
He paced beside the table.
"That guarantee was part of the original business financing. We were married. Everything was shared.""
"Marriage doesn't mean you can sign someone else's name.""
Curtis stopped.
"Who said anything about signing her name?""
Bianca looked at him.
"You just did.""
He realized his mistake.
His expression tightened.
"That's not what I meant.""
Bianca slowly picked up her phone.
"I'm calling Marcus.""
Curtis reached across the table.
"Don't.""
She moved her phone away.
"Why?""
"Because he'll twist everything.""
"Then you shouldn't have anything to worry about.""
She pressed the call button.
Marcus answered after two rings.
"Ms. Reynolds?""
"Yes. I'm here with Curtis. He says the old guarantee was part of the original business financing. Can you explain what you discovered?""
Marcus paused.
"Mr. Harris is there?""
"Yes.""
"Then I'll be direct. Our records indicate that a personal guarantee was submitted to the lender using Tessa's name. She denies signing it. The signature is inconsistent with her verified signatures, and we're requesting the original document for forensic examination.""
Curtis closed his eyes.
Marcus continued.
"We've also identified transfers from the old restaurant's operating account that appear to have been used for personal obligations.""
Bianca looked at Curtis.
"How much?""
"We're still reconciling the full records. But the disputed guarantee is separate from the withdrawals. If the document was falsified, the matter could have serious legal consequences.""
Curtis reached for the phone.
"Marcus, this is Curtis. You don't need to discuss my private business with my fiancée.""
Marcus's voice remained calm.
"Then perhaps you should have disclosed it before asking her to assume a personal guarantee for a new loan.""
Curtis said nothing.
Bianca spoke again.
"Can you send me the relevant documents?""
"I can send you a summary of the issues that directly affect your proposed financing decision. I'll also arrange for my office to communicate with your independent counsel.""
"Thank you.""
She ended the call.
Curtis stood motionless.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he pulled the chair out and sat down.
"Bianca, there's something you need to understand.""
She folded her arms.
"I'm listening.""
"Back then, I was desperate.""
"That doesn't explain anything.""
"The restaurant was failing. I had creditors threatening legal action. I had people depending on me.""
"Tessa was depending on you too.""
Curtis looked down.
"I know.""
"Then why did you blame her?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Because I couldn't admit what I had done.""
Bianca waited.
He continued.
"I was gambling. I thought I could win enough to cover the payments. At first, I only used a little money.
Then I lost more. I kept telling myself I'd replace it before anyone noticed.""
"How much did you lose?""
"I don't remember.""
"Try.""
Curtis sighed.
"About forty thousand directly. Maybe more.""
"And the other withdrawals?""
"Some went to personal creditors. Some went to cover other expenses.""
"What expenses?""
He looked at her.
"Living expenses. Legal bills. Things after the divorce.""
Bianca stared at him.
"So you let Tessa take the blame for money you spent.""
Curtis shook his head.
"I was in a bad place.""
"She lost her restaurant, her reputation, and her marriage.""
"I know.""
"And you invited her here tonight to humiliate her?""
Curtis looked away.
"I wanted her to see that I had moved on.""
Bianca gave a quiet, bitter laugh.
"You wanted her to feel like she had lost.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I hated that she walked away and rebuilt her life while I was still dealing with the consequences.""
Bianca looked at him for a long moment.
The honesty was almost worse than the lies.
He had known exactly what he was doing.
He had wanted Tessa to feel small because her success reminded him of his failure.
Then he had chosen Bianca as the audience for that performance.
"Did you know she owned three restaurants when you invited her?"" Bianca asked.
"No.""
"Would you have invited her if you knew?""
Curtis didn't answer.
Bianca slowly pushed the loan agreement away.
"I'm not signing.""
His head snapped up.
"Bianca—"
"No.""
"We can fix this.""
"How?""
"I'll show you the accounts.""
"All of them?""
"Yes.""
"Personal and business?""
"Yes.""
"Every creditor?""
"Yes.""
"Every loan?""
Curtis hesitated.
Bianca noticed.
"There's more?""
He looked down.
"There's an outstanding private loan.""
"How much?""
"Forty-two thousand.""
She closed her eyes.
"Where did that money go?""
"Some of it went into the new restaurant.""
"And the rest?""
Curtis swallowed.
"I used part of it to settle another debt.""
Bianca stared at him.
"You're opening a restaurant with borrowed money, carrying personal debts, and asking me to guarantee another loan.""
"I was going to make it work.""
"By putting my name on everything?""
He reached for her hand.
"Baby, I love you.""
Bianca pulled away.
"Don't use that word to change the subject.""
A waiter approached cautiously.
"Mr. Harris, the photographer is ready for the partnership announcement.""
Curtis looked up.
"Tell him we're postponing it.""
The waiter nodded and walked away.
Bianca gathered her handbag.
"I'm going home.""
Curtis stood.
"You're leaving me here?""
"I'm leaving this conversation.""
"What about the wedding?""
She paused.
"I don't know.""
He looked genuinely frightened now.
"Bianca, we have invitations ready. The venue is booked. Our families are expecting—"
"Then perhaps you should have thought about them before hiding your financial history.""
She picked up the loan agreement and placed it in front of him.
"Keep your papers. I'm not your guarantor.""
Curtis watched her walk toward the entrance.
He didn't follow immediately.
Instead, he stood beside the table, staring at the unsigned document.
The same document he had expected Bianca to sign beneath the grand-opening lights.
The same signature that was supposed to solve his immediate financial problems.
Now it remained blank.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus appeared.
*The lender has agreed to provide the original guarantee for examination. There is another issue. A second document appears to contain Tessa's signature, dated after your divorce.*
Curtis read it twice.
His face went pale.
Another document?
He quickly typed.
*What second document?*
The reply arrived.
*A property security agreement. It appears Tessa's former business assets were listed as additional collateral. We need to determine who submitted it.*
Curtis gripped the phone.
He looked toward the entrance, where Bianca had disappeared.
Then he looked at the old restaurant's financial report still lying on the table.
For four years, he had convinced himself that the worst thing he had done was blame Tessa for the bankruptcy.
But if the second document was genuine, the consequences could be far worse.
Across Baltimore, Tessa was sitting in her car when Marcus called again.
"There's something else," he said.
"What?""
"The lender has provided the name of the person who submitted the disputed documents.""
Tessa tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
"Who?""
Marcus took a breath.
"Curtis didn't submit them alone.""
Tessa went silent.
"Someone else signed as a witness.""
"Who?""
Marcus hesitated.
Then he said a name Tessa had never expected to hear.
"Bianca Reynolds.""
Tessa stared through the windshield.
The woman Curtis had introduced as someone who knew how to do business.
The woman who had just refused to sign his new loan.
The woman who might already have been involved in the old financial deception.
May you like
And suddenly, Tessa had a question she couldn't ignore.
*Had Bianca really been an innocent fiancée all along?*
