Chapter 7: The Other Woman Had Been Lied To, Too
At 9:15 the following morning, Renee received a photograph of a bank transfer.
She stared at it over her coffee.
The transfer showed $8,000 deposited into an account belonging to Lionel Carter.
The date matched the day he had withdrawn Jada's tuition money.
But the description underneath the transaction made Renee's stomach tighten.
*VEHICLE PURCHASE — MASON'S TRUCK.*
Renee read it again.
Then she looked at the message from Tasha.
He told me you gave him the money. He said you knew about Mason and wanted to help.
Renee typed slowly.
Why would I give him my daughter's college money?
Tasha replied:
I didn't know it was your daughter's money.
Renee put down her coffee.
For seventeen years, Lionel had apparently maintained two versions of reality.
In one, Renee was the devoted wife who knew nothing about Tasha.
In the other, Renee was the understanding wife who had accepted Mason and agreed to help financially.
Both women had been given carefully edited versions of the same man's life.
And both had paid for his lies.
Renee called Tasha.
The phone rang four times.
"Hello?""
"Is this Tasha?""
"Yes.""
"This is Renee Carter.""
Silence.
Then Tasha exhaled.
"I was wondering when you'd call.""
Renee looked toward the living room, where Jada was preparing breakfast.
"Can we meet?""
"Yes.""
"Somewhere public.""
"There's a coffee shop on Polaris Parkway. One o'clock?""
"Fine.""
Tasha hesitated.
"Renee?""
"Yes?""
"I'm sorry.""
Renee closed her eyes.
"I don't know whether you should be apologizing to me or whether I should be apologizing to you.""
"I think we both have reasons.""
They ended the call.
At one o'clock, Renee arrived at the coffee shop.
Tasha was already seated near the window.
She looked younger than Renee had expected, perhaps in her early forties. Her hair was pulled into a low bun, and she wore a gray cardigan over a white blouse.
A thick folder sat beside her coffee.
When Renee approached, Tasha stood.
"Renee?""
"Yes.""
"I'm Tasha.""
They shook hands awkwardly.
Neither knew what to say.
Finally, Renee sat down.
"How long have you known Lionel?""
Tasha folded her hands.
"Seventeen years.""
Renee nodded.
"And he told you I knew about you?""
Tasha looked down.
"He told me you knew about Mason.""
"How?""
"He said your marriage was complicated. That you stayed together for financial and family reasons, but you had agreed to live separate lives.""
Renee stared at her.
"Separate lives?""
"That's what he said.""
"And you believed him?""
Tasha looked embarrassed.
"I was twenty-five when Mason was born. Lionel told me he was separated. Then he said the divorce would take time because of the house and his finances.""
Renee felt something twist in her chest.
"He never separated from me.""
"I know that now.""
Tasha opened her folder.
"He gave me these.""
Inside were printed emails, screenshots, and copies of documents.
One message was dated twelve years earlier.
Lionel had written:
Renee understands that Mason needs both parents. She doesn't want him growing up without stability.
Another message, from five years later, said:
My wife and I have an arrangement. You don't need to worry about her.
Renee pushed the pages away.
"He's a talented liar.""
Tasha nodded.
"He told me you were aware of the apartment. He said you helped choose it.""
Renee almost laughed.
"I didn't even know it existed until yesterday.""
Tasha took a breath.
"There's something else.""
She opened a second folder.
Inside was the purchase agreement for Mason's truck.
Renee recognized the dealership name.
The amount was $7,850.
"Why are you showing me this?""
"Because Lionel told me he had purchased it using money from our joint savings.""
Renee frowned.
"You had joint savings?""
"Yes. He deposited money into an account every month. He said it was for Mason's future.""
Tasha pulled out a bank statement.
"But when I asked about the truck, he said the dealership needed immediate payment. He told me he'd already arranged it through you.""
Renee stared at the document.
"Did you know the truck was registered in Mason's name?""
Tasha nodded.
"I helped him complete the registration.""
"Did Lionel tell you the money was a gift?""
"Yes.""
Renee looked at the statement again.
"Then why did you message me saying he lied about the money?""
Tasha hesitated.
"Because Mason found something.""
She reached into her bag and pulled out a folded receipt.
It was a dealership payment record.
The purchaser's name was Lionel Carter.
But the payment method was a debit card belonging to an account Renee recognized.
Her own household savings account.
Renee's mouth went dry.
"He used my card?""
"That's what it looks like.""
Renee studied the receipt.
Then she looked up.
"Did you know?""
"No.""
"Did Mason know?""
Tasha shook her head.
"He thought his father had saved the money for him.""
Renee leaned back.
For a moment, she couldn't speak.
Then Tasha said something that changed the entire conversation.
"There's another reason I wanted to meet.""
"What?""
"Mason doesn't want the truck.""
Renee frowned.
"Why not?""
"Because he found out Lionel had been lying about something else.""
Tasha slid a photograph across the table.
It showed a teenage boy sitting inside the truck, holding a folded document.
Renee recognized him from the photographs in the family email folder.
Mason.
"What did he find?""
Tasha's eyes filled.
"A message from Lionel telling me that Jada would never know where the money came from.""
Renee looked up sharply.
"What?""
"He said Jada was spoiled. He said she didn't deserve an expensive education. He told me he was doing Mason a favor by taking the money before you changed your mind.""
Renee felt the heat rise in her face.
"Those were his exact words?""
Tasha nodded.
"I saved the message.""
She turned her phone around.
The message was there.
Lionel had written:
That girl has always had everything. Mason needs something for once. She can work for her tuition. She'll survive.
Renee read it twice.
Then she pushed the phone away.
Tasha wiped her eyes.
"I thought I was building a future with him. I thought Mason had a father who was finally choosing to be present.""
Renee looked at her.
"And I thought my husband was raising our daughter with me.""
Neither woman spoke for several seconds.
Then Tasha said, "I ended things with him last night.""
Renee studied her.
"Because of me?""
"Because of what he did. Not because of you.""
Tasha closed the folder.
"I can't keep telling my son that a man who steals from another child is someone he should admire.""
Renee nodded slowly.
For the first time, she felt no desire to compete with this woman.
They had never been competing.
Lionel had simply convinced both of them that they were.
As Renee stood to leave, Tasha caught her hand.
"There's one more thing.""
"What?""
"Mason wants to speak to Jada.""
Renee hesitated.
"Why?""
"Because he says he found something on the truck purchase documents that might help you.""
Renee frowned.
"What could a seventeen-year-old boy possibly have found?""
Tasha looked toward the window.
"His father used Jada's name on the financing paperwork.""
Renee froze.
"What financing paperwork?""
Tasha pulled out a final page.
The truck hadn't been purchased outright.
It had been financed.
And the document listed Jada Carter as a co-borrower.
May you like
Renee stared at the signature.
Her daughter had never signed it.
