Chapter 6: The Signature That Was Never Hers
Daniel drove home with the document locked inside his briefcase.
He barely remembered the journey.
Every traffic light seemed too long. Every passing car seemed to move in slow motion.
He kept looking at the same line in his mind.
Vanessa Collins.
Three years earlier.
A transfer he had never authorized.
And a signature that appeared to be his.
When he arrived home, Rebecca was sitting at the kitchen table with Lily.
His sister had brought over a box of pastries and was helping her niece with a drawing.
“Daddy!””
Lily ran toward him.
Daniel bent down and caught her.
“Hey, princess.””
“Look what I made!””
She held up a drawing.
It showed three people standing beneath a yellow sun.
Daniel recognized himself.
Lily was holding his hand.
The third person was Vanessa.
He studied it.
“That's beautiful.””
“I'm going to give it to Mommy when she comes home.””
Daniel smiled faintly.
“That's very kind of you.””
Rebecca watched him carefully.
“Can I speak with you?””
Daniel kissed Lily's forehead.
“Go finish your drawing, sweetheart.””
He followed Rebecca into the living room.
She crossed her arms.
“You look terrible.””
“Thanks.””
“I'm serious. What happened?””
Daniel placed his briefcase on the coffee table and removed the document.
Rebecca read it.
Her eyebrows lifted.
“Is this real?””
“Richard says the signature was copied.””
“Then why is Vanessa's name here?””
“I don't know.””
Rebecca sat down.
“Daniel, I need you to think carefully. Did Vanessa ever have access to your business documents?””
“Yes.””
“Did she ever sign anything for you?””
“Sometimes, when I asked her to handle routine paperwork.””
Rebecca studied the page again.
“This isn't routine paperwork.””
“No.””
She lowered her voice.
“Could Marcus have used her?””
Daniel looked toward the kitchen.
“I don't know anymore.””
Rebecca reached for his hand.
“You don't have to figure everything out today.””
He nodded.
But his mind was already racing.
He needed answers.
That afternoon, Daniel received a message from an unknown number.
*Unknown:* We need to meet. I can explain what happened three years ago.
Another message followed.
*Unknown:* Don't tell Richard.
Daniel stared at the screen.
He called the number.
It rang once.
Then disconnected.
A minute later, another message appeared.
*Unknown:* I'm serious. Your wife isn't the only person Marcus lied to.
Daniel immediately called Richard.
“I got a message.””
Richard sounded alert.
“From whom?””
“I don't know. They say they can explain the old transfer.””
“Send me a screenshot.””
Daniel did.
Richard called back almost immediately.
“Don't meet anyone alone.””
“Why?””
“Because I recognize the number.””
Daniel stood up.
“Who is it?””
Richard hesitated.
“An employee who worked for Marcus.””
“What happened to him?””
“He disappeared from the company records after the investment collapsed.””
Daniel looked at the phone.
“Can you find him?””
“I'm already trying.””
Meanwhile, across town, Vanessa sat in her father's private office.
She had barely slept.
Richard had allowed her to stay in the guest room overnight, but he hadn't offered the comfort she had expected.
Instead, he had placed a stack of documents in front of her.
“Read them,” he said.
Vanessa looked at the pages.
“I don't understand.””
“Then take your time.””
She began reading.
The first page described an investment agreement.
The second contained bank transfer details.
The third listed several authorizations.
Her eyes stopped at her own name.
“Dad, I never approved this.””
Richard leaned back.
“Marcus says you did.””
“He's lying.””
“Did you give him access to my financial records?””
Vanessa looked down.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“He said he needed them for a business proposal.””
Richard closed his eyes.
“And did you sign anything?””
“I signed a few documents.””
“Did you read them?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“I trusted him.””
Richard's voice became sharper.
“That isn't an answer.””
She looked at him.
“I'm telling you the truth.””
Richard pushed another page toward her.
“Then explain this.””
Vanessa picked it up.
A scanned copy of her identification appeared beside a transfer authorization.
She stared at it.
The signature looked familiar.
But she hadn't written it.
“Dad…”
Richard watched her.
“Is that your signature?””
“No.””
“Are you certain?””
“Yes!””
Her voice broke.
“I never signed this.””
Richard nodded slowly.
“Then someone has used your identity.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
For the first time, the consequences of Marcus's actions seemed larger than the affair.
She remembered how he had asked for her identification.
How he had told her not to worry about the paperwork.
How he had promised they would eventually build something together.
She had believed every word.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus.
*Marcus:* We need to talk. Come alone.
Another message appeared.
*Marcus:* I have something that could help you understand everything.
Vanessa looked at her father.
“It's Marcus.””
Richard immediately stood.
“Don't answer him.””
“He might know what happened.””
“He knows exactly what happened. That's why he's contacting you.””
Vanessa stared at the screen.
Then she typed.
*Vanessa:* What did you do with my name?
The reply came almost instantly.
*Marcus:* I did what I had to do. You wanted a future with me.
Vanessa's hands began shaking.
*Vanessa:* You used me.
*Marcus:* Don't pretend you didn't benefit. Your husband was going to leave you eventually.
She stared at those words.
Then another message arrived.
*Marcus:* If you want the truth about Daniel, meet me at the old warehouse tonight.
Vanessa showed the message to Richard.
He read it and immediately shook his head.
“No.””
“Dad, I need to know what he's talking about.””
“You need to stop letting this man control you.””
“He knows something about Daniel.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“Then we'll find out through the proper channels.””
Vanessa stood.
“I can't just sit here.””
Richard stepped in front of her.
“Your husband is trying to protect Lily. I'm trying to protect you. And Marcus is trying to make sure neither of us discovers what he has done.””
Vanessa looked down at her phone.
For the first time, she didn't reply to Marcus.
Instead, she called Daniel.
He answered after several rings.
“Hello?””
“Daniel.””
Silence.
“It's me.””
“I know.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I need to tell you something.””
“Is Lily okay?””
Her eyes filled.
“Yes. I mean, I don't know. I haven't seen her.””
Daniel's voice remained controlled.
“She is safe.””
“Can I speak to her?””
“Not right now.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Daniel, I think Marcus used my identity. He may have forged documents connected to your company.””
There was a long silence.
Then Daniel asked, “What did you sign?””
“Nothing involving your business. I swear.””
“Did you give him access to my documents?””
Vanessa hesitated.
She remembered a folder she had once taken from Daniel's home office.
Marcus had asked to review it.
She had handed it over without thinking.
“Vanessa?””
Her voice became barely audible.
“I may have given him a copy of one of your old agreements.””
Daniel stood up.
“Which agreement?””
“I don't remember exactly.””
“Try.””
She pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“It was from the property development project. The one you worked on before Lily started school.””
Daniel's face went pale.
That was the original deal.
The same deal Richard had shown him.
“Vanessa, listen carefully. Did Marcus ever ask you to copy my signature?””
“No.””
“Did you ever see him doing it?””
“No.””
Daniel looked toward the briefcase.
“Then why is my signature on a transfer authorization?””
Vanessa began crying.
“I don't know.””
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Daniel asked the question she feared most.
“Did you know Marcus was using our marriage to get close to my business?””
“No.””
“Did you know he was lying about me?””
“No, Daniel. I swear.””
He closed his eyes.
“I don't know what to believe anymore.””
Vanessa whispered, “I made a terrible mistake.””
“Yes,” Daniel replied.
“You did.””
Then he ended the call.
Vanessa lowered her phone.
Richard stood silently beside her.
A few seconds later, his own phone rang.
He answered.
“Richard Collins.””
A man's nervous voice came through.
“Mr. Collins, it's Peter. I found something in Marcus's old office.””
Richard immediately straightened.
“What did you find?””
“A recording. From the night the original transfer was made.””
“Send it to me.””
“There's a problem.””
“What problem?””
Peter lowered his voice.
“The recording shows Marcus wasn't alone.””
Richard looked toward Vanessa.
“Who was with him?””
Peter hesitated.
Then he said a name.
“Daniel.””
Vanessa's face went completely white.
May you like
And Richard slowly lowered the phone.
Because if the recording was genuine, the story they had been telling themselves about Marcus might be only half the truth.
