Chapter 6 - THE LOAN NOBODY KNEW ABOUT
The $2.4 million loan had been created to save Nathan's company.
The company had been collapsing for almost two years.
Nathan had hidden the losses through multiple accounts.
Money moved from one company to another.
Payments were delayed.
Debts were refinanced.
And every time the business came close to failure, Nathan used money from me.
I had never known.
I thought I was helping his family.
In reality, I had been keeping his company alive.
Marcus showed me the numbers.
“Your monthly transfers were divided into separate payments.”
“Why?”
“To make them appear like family expenses.”
I stared at the records.
Medical bills.
Car payments.
Insurance.
Rent.
Grocery payments.
Luxury purchases.
Business transfers.
Nathan had disguised the money.
Some of the payments were real.
Others were completely false.
The biggest transfers went directly to his company.
I had paid nearly half a million dollars.
I felt sick.
“What happens now?”
Rebecca answered.
“The bank will investigate.”
“And the loan?”
“If your signature is forged, you are not responsible for it.”
I looked at the document.
“But my name is on it.”
“That doesn't make it legal.”
Nathan's attorney contacted Rebecca.
He offered a settlement.
A small one.
In exchange for silence.
I laughed when I saw the amount.
They wanted me to accept $100,000.
After taking more than $400,000 from me.
Rebecca asked:
“What do you want to do?”
“Reject it.”
She smiled.
“I thought you might.”
The next day, Nathan called me.
“You need to stop this.”
I sat at my desk.
“Stop what?”
“Destroying my company.”
“I didn't destroy anything.”
“You froze the accounts.”
“My accounts.”
“You knew what would happen.”
“Yes.”
He was silent.
Then his voice became softer.
“Claire, we can fix this.”
I almost laughed.
“You hit me.”
“I lost control.”
“You planned to take out a $2.4 million loan in my name.”
“I was going to repay it.”
“With what?”
Silence.
“You used me.”
“That isn't fair.”
“You researched my inheritance before we met.”
Another silence.
“Who told you that?”
“Does it matter?”
Nathan's voice changed.
“You don't understand the pressure I was under.”
“No.”
“You have no idea what it feels like to have everyone depending on you.”
I stared at the phone.
“That's interesting.”
“What?”
“You were never the one everyone depended on.”
He didn't answer.
I continued.
“I was.”
Nathan hung up.
That evening, Marcus called.
“We found the person who helped create the forged documents.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
He hesitated.
“Your friend.”
I closed my eyes.
“Allison.”
“Yes.”
I felt betrayed all over again.
“What did she do?”
“She accessed copies of your financial documents.”
“Why?”
“We don't know yet.”
Marcus sent me security footage.
Allison entered Nathan's office six months earlier.
She carried a folder.
She left forty minutes later.
I called her.
She answered immediately.
“Claire.”
“Did you help Nathan?”
Silence.
“Allison.”
“I need to explain.”
“Did you help him?”
“Yes.”
The word destroyed something inside me.
“Why?”
“I didn't know what he was planning.”
“You gave him my documents.”
“I thought I was stopping him.”
“By giving him access?”
“I was trying to find proof.”
I stared at the wall.
“What proof?”
Allison began crying.
“Nathan was using your identity.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he threatened me.”
“With what?”
She said nothing.
“Allison.”
“He had a recording.”
“What recording?”
“Something from years ago.”
I felt cold.
“What did you do?”
She whispered:
“I lied to you.”
“About what?”
“About your father.”
I froze.
“What about my father?”
Allison's voice broke.
“Claire, Nathan didn't just marry you for your inheritance.”
“Then why?”
She took a breath.
“Because he knew something about your family.”
I sat down.
“What?”
Allison whispered:
“He knew your father had been investigating him.”
“That isn't a secret.”
“No.”
Her voice became quieter.
“He knew your father had discovered something about Nathan's past.”
“What?”
Allison didn't answer.
Instead, she said:
“You need to find the original recording.”
“What recording?”
“The one Nathan has.”
“Of me?”
“No.”
May you like
She paused.
“Of your father.”
