Chapter 9: The Man Who Blamed Everyone Else
Curtis ended the call.
Nobody spoke.
The office seemed unusually quiet, except for the faint sound of kitchen equipment running in the next room.
Tessa stood beside her desk.
Bianca remained near the chair.
Curtis looked from one woman to the other.
Then he shoved his phone into his pocket.
"That was nothing.""
Bianca shook her head.
"Eighty-two thousand dollars is nothing?""
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain it.""
Curtis rubbed his face.
"Darnell is a private lender. He helped me when I was trying to get the new restaurant started.""
Tessa looked at the documents.
"With money from the old restaurant?""
Curtis didn't answer.
Bianca stepped forward.
"Where did the eighty-two thousand go?""
"Some of it was used for the new location.""
"Some?""
Curtis sighed.
"I had to settle a few other accounts.""
"What accounts?""
"Personal obligations.""
Bianca stared at him.
"More gambling debts?""
He looked away.
Tessa's voice was cold.
"You took money from our restaurant, moved it into a private account, and then used the account to finance your new business?""
Curtis pointed at her.
"Don't make this sound like I stole everything. The restaurant was failing. There were bills everywhere. Someone had to make decisions.""
"Someone did," Tessa replied.
"You.""
He laughed bitterly.
"You think you could have saved it?""
"I was trying to.""
"You were trying to control me.""
Tessa looked at him.
"I was asking you to show me the bank statements.""
Curtis opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Bianca picked up the handwritten note.
"Who is Darnell?""
"A friend.""
"Why is he threatening to expose you?""
"Because he wants his money.""
"How much does he want?""
Curtis looked at the floor.
"Forty-two thousand.""
Bianca shook her head.
"That's the same amount you told me you owed.""
"Yes.""
"And the eighty-two thousand?""
"That was the balance in the account before some withdrawals.""
Tessa frowned.
"How much money originally went into it?""
Curtis remained silent.
She repeated the question.
"How much?""
He finally answered.
"One hundred and seventeen thousand.""
Bianca stared at him.
"One hundred and seventeen thousand dollars?""
"It wasn't all mine.""
"Where did it come from?""
Curtis looked at Tessa.
"Some of it came from the old restaurant.""
Tessa felt a strange calm settle over her.
The audit had identified approximately sixty-eight thousand dollars in suspicious withdrawals.
But the actual figure was much higher.
"How much came from the restaurant?"" she asked.
"About seventy-four thousand.""
"And the rest?""
"Other financing.""
Tessa nodded slowly.
"Then the audit was incomplete.""
Curtis threw up his hands.
"The audit was based on what records were available!""
"Because you never disclosed the private account.""
"I was trying to protect the business.""
Tessa's eyes narrowed.
"No. You were trying to protect yourself.""
Bianca looked at the documents.
"Why did you need my signature as a witness?""
Curtis turned toward her.
"I already told you. It was paperwork.""
"Why did the document say you witnessed Tessa signing?""
He sighed.
"Because the lender required a witness.""
"Did she sign?""
Curtis didn't answer.
Bianca stepped closer.
"Curtis, look at me.""
He did.
"Did you sign her name?""
His jaw tightened.
"I was going to fix everything.""
Bianca stared at him.
"That's not an answer.""
Curtis looked at Tessa.
Then at the floor.
Finally, he spoke.
"Yes.""
The word was barely audible.
But everyone heard it.
Bianca stepped backward.
Tessa remained still.
Curtis continued quickly.
"I didn't think it would become a problem. We were married when the original loan was taken out. I thought I could get everything settled before anyone noticed.""
"But the second document was signed after the divorce," Bianca said.
He nodded.
"I needed the lender to release the remaining funds.""
"And you used my signature as a witness.""
"You were there.""
"That doesn't mean I witnessed Tessa signing.""
"I told you what the papers were.""
"You lied.""
Curtis's voice rose.
"I was trying to keep my business alive!""
Bianca shook her head.
"You weren't keeping a business alive. You were keeping a lie alive.""
He turned toward Tessa.
"Are you happy now?""
Tessa looked genuinely puzzled.
"Why would I be happy?""
"Because you've finally got what you wanted. You wanted everyone to think I was the bad guy.""
Tessa opened the folder and placed it between them.
"I wanted to build a life without worrying about which bill you were hiding.""
She paused.
"I wanted to go to work without wondering whether the money in the account would still be there tomorrow.""
Her voice softened.
"I wanted to trust my husband.""
Curtis looked away.
"But instead, you made me carry your failure. You told people I couldn't manage a restaurant. You told our employees I was responsible for the bankruptcy. You told your family I had ruined your future.""
"I was angry.""
"So was I.""
Tessa's eyes filled, but she didn't look away.
"The difference is that I didn't use my anger to destroy someone else's life.""
For several seconds, Curtis said nothing.
Then he pulled out a chair.
"Look, we can work something out.""
Bianca stared at him.
"What?""
"We can settle the debts. Tessa has money now. She has three restaurants. Maybe we can agree on a repayment arrangement.""
Tessa blinked.
"You're asking me for money?""
"I'm asking you to be reasonable.""
"You forged my signature, Curtis.""
"I was going to repay everything.""
"With what?""
He looked at her.
"Your businesses are doing well.""
Tessa slowly shook her head.
"Those businesses belong to my employees, my suppliers, and the customers who trust us. I built them by working. Not by taking money from someone else.""
Curtis leaned forward.
"You're acting like you never made mistakes.""
"I made plenty. I hired the wrong people. I lost money on a location. I once ordered enough seafood for two hundred customers and had only eighty reservations.""
Despite herself, she smiled faintly.
"But I didn't hide it. I learned from it.""
Bianca looked at Curtis.
"She's right.""
He turned toward her.
"Don't start.""
"I'm done starting.""
Bianca removed her engagement ring.
She placed it on the desk.
Curtis stared at it.
"What's that?""
"My answer.""
"Bianca, don't do this.""
"I can't marry someone who uses other people's names to secure his debts.""
He reached for the ring.
She moved it away.
"You told me Tessa destroyed your first business. You told me she walked away with everything.""
"That's what happened.""
"No. She walked away with nothing. You kept the money, the equipment, and the story.""
Curtis's face reddened.
"You're going to believe her over me?""
"I'm going to believe the documents.""
Bianca turned toward Tessa.
"I'm sorry.""
Tessa nodded.
"I hope you get the truth sorted out.""
Bianca picked up her handbag.
Then she walked toward the door.
Curtis followed her.
"Bianca! Wait!""
She stopped in the hallway.
He reached for her shoulder, but she stepped away.
"You can't just leave.""
"Watch me.""
"We're engaged!""
"Not anymore.""
She continued toward the entrance.
Curtis stood motionless.
Tessa remained in her office, looking at the ring on the desk.
For a moment, she felt sorry for Bianca.
Not because the engagement had ended.
Because she knew what it was like to discover that the person you trusted had been telling a completely different story behind your back.
Curtis turned around.
His eyes were red.
"You're happy now?""
Tessa closed the folder.
"No.""
"Then what do you want?""
"I want you to stop using my name.""
He gave a bitter laugh.
"You think it's that simple?""
"No. I think it's necessary.""
Curtis took a step closer.
"You don't understand. Darnell isn't the only person looking for that money.""
Tessa looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Curtis lowered his voice.
"The account wasn't just for the restaurant. There was another investor.""
"Who?""
He hesitated.
Then he said, "A man named Franklin.""
Tessa frowned.
"Franklin who?""
Curtis looked toward the hallway to make sure Bianca was gone.
"Franklin owns the building where my new restaurant operates.""
Tessa stared at him.
"What does he have to do with the old restaurant?""
Curtis swallowed.
"He financed part of the original business.""
Tessa felt her stomach tighten.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because he wasn't just a lender.""
Curtis pulled out his phone and opened an old message thread.
He turned the screen toward her.
The message was dated four years earlier.
*If the restaurant collapses, make sure Tessa's name stays on the guarantee. I don't want to lose my money.*
Tessa read it twice.
Then she looked at Curtis.
"Who sent this?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Finally, he said, "Franklin.""
Tessa stepped back.
She suddenly remembered something.
During the final weeks of their marriage, Curtis had received several late-night calls from a man he called his business mentor.
She had never met him.
She had never been shown any agreement involving him.
And now his name appeared in the middle of the financial disaster that had destroyed her first restaurant.
Curtis looked exhausted.
"Franklin wants his money back. He's threatening to take action against both of us.""
Tessa's expression hardened.
"Then he can speak to my attorney.""
Curtis nodded slowly.
"There's one more thing.""
She waited.
"The reason he agreed to finance the new restaurant...""
Curtis looked directly at her.
"He knew you were going to be involved in the old guarantee.""
Tessa's blood ran cold.
"What?""
"He thought you would eventually be forced to pay.""
The office door remained open.
Lionel stood in the hallway, having heard enough to understand that something serious was happening.
Tessa looked at Curtis.
For four years, she had believed her marriage had ended because of a man who couldn't admit his mistakes.
Now she was discovering that someone else might have helped him turn those mistakes into a financial trap.
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And that person was still standing behind the new restaurant.
*The man named Franklin hadn't come for Curtis's business. He had come for Tessa's money.*
