Chapter 3 - THE ENVELOPE DANIEL DIDN’T WANT ME TO SEE
Claire placed the suitcase on the coffee table.
Linda remained near the island, still clutching my property folder.
Daniel moved toward Claire.
I stepped between them.
“What’s inside?”
Claire looked at me.
“Mail.”
I frowned.
“What mail?”
“Mail addressed to you at the Malibu property.”
“That gets forwarded.”
“Usually.”
She opened the suitcase.
Inside were several folders, old photographs, a sweater I had forgotten years ago, and a thick stack of envelopes.
Claire removed one.
“The management office started receiving unusual inquiries about the property approximately six weeks ago.”
Daniel interrupted.
“Emily, can we talk privately?”
“No.”
“Please.”
“You had your chance when your mother threw my suitcase across the floor.”
Linda snapped, “Stop being dramatic.”
I didn’t even look at her.
Claire continued.
“Someone contacted a lender claiming the Malibu house might be used as collateral.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Linda did too.
She immediately stepped toward him.
“Daniel?”
He shook his head.
“It never went anywhere.”
I stared at my husband.
“What never went anywhere?”
He exhaled.
“My business needed liquidity.”
I couldn’t believe how calmly he said it.
“So you tried to borrow against my house?”
“No. I looked into options.”
“Without asking me?”
“I knew you’d say no.”
There it was.
Not remorse.
Justification.
Claire handed me another envelope.
“The lender requested proof of authorization from the property owner.”
I looked at Daniel.
“Tell me you didn’t sign my name.”
He didn’t answer.
Linda suddenly slapped the property folder onto the island.
“This is ridiculous. Married people share assets.”
Claire turned toward her.
“Not automatically.”
Linda’s eyes narrowed.
Then I noticed something.
She wasn’t surprised.
Not by the lender.
Not by the property.
Not even by Daniel’s admission.
She was angry because the plan had failed.
I looked at her.
“You knew.”
“No.”
“Linda.”
“I knew Daniel was exploring financing.”
“Using my property.”
“For your husband’s company!”
My hands began shaking.
And suddenly the $3,000 demand made sense.
I looked at Daniel.
“How much?”
He stayed silent.
“How much money do you need?”
“Emily—”
“How much?”
Linda answered for him.
“Thirty-six thousand.”
Exactly twelve months of $3,000 payments.
I stared at her.
The rent had never been rent.
They needed me to cover something.
“What did you do?”
Neither answered.
Then Claire removed one final envelope from the suitcase.
“This arrived yesterday.”
May you like
Daniel lunged for it.
And that told me everything I needed to know.
