Chapter 3 - The Night Everything BrokeNaomi met us at a quiet coffee shop in Carlsbad.
She arrived alone.
No makeup.
No jewelry.
No engagement ring.
She looked exhausted.
Kathleen placed the marriage certificate on the table.
Naomi stared at it.
“I knew something was wrong,” she whispered.
I asked her what she meant.
“Austin told me his last relationship ended badly.”
“Did he mention Kathleen?”
“No.”
“Did he ever mention being married?”
“No.”
Kathleen showed her the photographs.
Naomi's hands began to shake.
Then she opened the folder containing the financial records.
Austin had taken Kathleen's inheritance.
He had also borrowed money from Naomi's father.
Almost half a million dollars.
He claimed it was for a property development project.
But the company listed on the documents didn't own any property.
It existed only on paper.
Naomi looked at me.
“Do you think he planned to marry me for my family's money?”
I didn't answer immediately.
“I think we need to find out.”
She nodded.
That evening, Naomi called off the wedding.
The news spread quickly.
By midnight, Austin's phone was turned off.
The next morning was my birthday.
I wanted nothing to do with my family.
But my mother insisted on dinner.
“Whatever happened,” she said, “we're still family.”
I almost refused.
Instead, I went.
The dining room was beautifully decorated.
A cake sat on the table.
No candles were lit.
Austin was already there.
He looked calm.
Too calm.
My mother smiled.
“Sit down.”
I remained standing.
“Where's Naomi?”
Austin looked at me.
“You ruined everything.”
“She found out the truth.”
“You had no right.”
“I had every right to stop a woman from unknowingly marrying a married man.”
His jaw tightened.
My mother sighed.
“Enough.”
“No,” I said. “It's not enough.”
I pulled the financial records from my bag.
“You stole Kathleen's inheritance.”
Austin stood.
“You don't know what you're talking about.”
“I know exactly what I'm talking about.”
I placed the documents on the table.
His eyes dropped to them.
Then he looked at me.
“You've always hated me.”
“I've spent my entire life trying to protect people from you.”
He laughed bitterly.
“You think you're better than everyone.”
“No. I just don't want to become you.”
That was when his expression changed.
He walked toward the garage.
My mother didn't stop him.
A few seconds later, he returned holding a tire iron.
My heart began pounding.
“Austin.”
“You destroyed my future.”
“Put it down.”
“You always thought you were smarter.”
“Austin, listen to me.”
He raised the tire iron.
I stepped backward.
Then he swung.
Pain exploded through my knee.
I screamed and collapsed.
The room spun.
My mother stood above me.
I looked at her, waiting for help.
Instead, she clapped twice.
“It's about time someone taught you a lesson.”
I couldn't believe it.
“You're helping him?”
“You did this to yourself.”
Austin dropped the tire iron.
My vision blurred.
They walked toward the door.
I reached for my phone.
My fingers barely moved.
But I managed to unlock it.
I called 911.
Then everything went black.
When I woke, I was in the emergency room.
A nurse leaned over me.
“Monica, can you hear me?”
I nodded.
“Did someone do this to you?”
My mother was standing nearby.
“No,” she answered. “She fell down the stairs.”
The nurse looked at me.
“Monica?”
I swallowed.
“My brother.”
My mother's face changed.
“He hit me.”
The nurse immediately stepped outside.
A police officer entered.
He asked me what happened.
I told him everything.
But before he could finish writing, the nurse returned.
She looked at my medical chart.
Then she looked at me.
“Monica, I need to ask you something else.”
“What?”
“Have you ever had access to your brother's medical billing records?”
I frowned.
“Why?”
She pointed to a file.
“Because your name appears on a document connected to a patient who doesn't exist.”
I stared at her.
“What patient?”
May you like
The nurse lowered her voice.
“Your mother.”
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