Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn't Mine
"Don't touch that paper.""
My voice came out sharper than I expected.
Monique looked down at the document, then back at me.
"Why? Afraid people might discover something?""
I stepped closer to the table.
"That is my name.""
"Exactly.""
"But I never signed that.""
My father picked up the document.
His hands were trembling slightly as he examined the pages.
"Monique, what is this?""
She sighed.
"It's the property transfer agreement we discussed.""
Darius looked confused.
"We discussed a possible estate arrangement. We never discussed transferring Jada's house.""
Monique's expression changed.
"That's not what you said.""
"Show me where I signed it.""
She pointed toward the bottom of the second page.
My father's signature was there.
Or something that looked like it.
He stared at it for several seconds.
"I didn't sign this.""
Monique laughed nervously.
"Of course you did.""
"No. I didn't.""
I leaned over the table.
The document contained my mother's former address, the legal description of the property, and a statement claiming I had voluntarily transferred ownership to a family trust.
The signature beneath my name looked convincing.
But the date was wrong.
It was dated three months earlier, when I had been working in Chicago for a week-long conference.
I remembered because my father had called me during that trip, asking whether I could send him copies of some old insurance papers.
I had emailed him the documents.
He had said he needed them for tax purposes.
I looked at Monique.
"Where did you get my signature?""
She folded her arms.
"You signed plenty of documents when you were younger.""
"Not this one.""
"Maybe you forgot.""
"I didn't forget signing away my mother's house.""
My aunt Rochelle stepped beside me.
"Let me see that.""
Darius handed her the papers.
She read the first page, then the second.
Her expression grew increasingly serious.
"Jada, this is a deed transfer document.""
"I can read it.""
Rochelle looked at my father.
"Did you know she was supposedly transferring the property?""
Darius shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
Monique rolled her eyes.
"You're both making this sound criminal.""
Rochelle placed the document down.
"Then explain why the owner supposedly signed this while she was out of state.""
Monique hesitated.
"It was handled through the family attorney.""
"Which attorney?"" Darius asked.
She blinked.
"Your attorney.""
"My attorney's name is Marcus Bennett. Did he prepare this?""
"Yes.""
Darius pulled out his phone.
"Then I'm calling him.""
Monique reached for his wrist.
"Not today.""
He looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because this is our wedding day. We have guests. We have a family gathering. Do you really want to destroy everything over paperwork?""
I almost laughed.
She had just accused me of assault, watched my father slap me, and produced a document transferring my inheritance.
Now she was worried about ruining the wedding.
"You're worried about paperwork?"" I asked.
"You tried to take my mother's house.""
Monique turned toward me.
"Your father and I were trying to make decisions about the family's future.""
"Without telling me?""
"You're twenty-four. You don't understand how complicated property management can be.""
"My name is on the deed.""
"And your father has been managing everything since your mother died.""
I looked at Darius.
He lowered his eyes.
That was when I remembered the strange conversations we'd had over the previous year.
The questions about the house.
The requests for documents.
The sudden insistence that I should consider selling it because maintaining an old property was expensive.
I'd thought he was simply being practical.
Now I wasn't sure.
"Did you ask Dad to transfer the house?"" I demanded.
Monique's face tightened.
"Your father wanted to protect the family.""
"From what?""
"From you making emotional decisions.""
I stared at her.
"It's my house.""
"Not if the transfer is completed.""
My father slammed the document onto the table.
"Stop talking.""
Monique looked startled.
Darius pointed at the signature.
"I never authorized this.""
She shook her head.
"You're forgetting.""
"I know my own signature.""
He looked at me.
"Jada, I need you to listen.""
I folded my arms.
"Go ahead.""
"After your mother died, I helped manage the estate. There were bills, insurance policies, taxes. I kept the property running because you were still in school.""
"I know.""
"But I never transferred ownership. I never had permission to.""
Rochelle interrupted.
"Then how did Monique get access to the documents?""
Nobody answered.
The reception room had become unbearably quiet.
Even the guests who had been whispering earlier were now watching us.
My father picked up his phone.
He dialed a number.
"Marcus? It's Darius Carter. I need you to answer something immediately.""
He put the call on speaker.
A man's voice came through.
"Darius? Is everything okay?""
"No. I have a property transfer document in front of me. It has your name on it.""
There was a pause.
"What property?""
"The house on Willow Creek Road. My late wife's property. There's a document claiming my daughter transferred it to a trust.""
Another pause.
Then Marcus said something that made my father sit down.
"Darius, I never prepared that document.""
Monique's face went pale.
My father looked at her.
"Marcus, are you certain?""
"Absolutely. I handled the estate administration, but I never drafted a transfer deed. And I certainly wouldn't have approved one without verifying Jada's identity and obtaining her authorization.""
Rochelle covered her mouth.
I stared at Monique.
She took a step backward.
My father asked, "Then whose signature is this?""
Marcus replied, "Send me a copy. But don't sign or file anything else until I've reviewed it.""
Darius looked at the document.
"There's one more thing. It has my signature.""
Marcus paused.
"Then I need to see that immediately.""
My father ended the call.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Monique picked up her purse.
"I need some air.""
Darius stood.
"You're not leaving.""
She stopped.
"What?""
"We're not finished.""
She looked around the room.
Her eyes settled on me.
"You've always wanted this, haven't you?""
I frowned.
"What?""
"You wanted your father to choose you. You wanted me gone. And now you've got exactly what you wanted.""
I shook my head.
"No, Monique. I wanted my father to believe me.""
She laughed bitterly.
"Well, congratulations.""
Then she looked at Darius.
"You're going to regret humiliating me.""
My father didn't answer.
She walked toward the exit.
But before she reached the door, Malik called out.
"Wait.""
He held up the phone.
"There's something else on the recording.""
Everyone turned toward him.
He tapped the screen and rewound the video.
"After Monique poured the wine, she walked toward the counter. But look at what she picked up before she came over to the chair.""
The screen showed Monique approaching the drinks table.
She reached beneath it.
And pulled out a small brown envelope.
My father leaned forward.
"What is that?""
Malik paused the image.
Monique's face went completely white.
May you like
Because the envelope had a name written across it.
Jada.
