Chapter 7 - The Deal That Required a Divorce
The date explained everything.
Richard Reed's investment agreement contained a provision allowing him to renegotiate his position if Liam's marital circumstances changed before the transaction closed.
A divorce would trigger a review of several business assets.
But the former employee had uncovered something more troubling.
“Richard believes your husband will sign anything if he thinks Vanessa is waiting for him,” he said.
“Is Liam involved in the scheme?”
“I don't know how much he understands. I do know someone has been moving money between companies connected to the agreement.”
I looked at the flash drive.
“Why bring this to me?”
“Because your name appears on one of the documents.”
I opened the file on my laptop.
There it was: a company I had never heard of, registered under a variation of my maiden name. My personal information had been used to establish a financial account.
I had signed nothing.
Someone had forged my authorization.
The account had received several transfers from Liam's business.
I called my attorney, Rachel Morgan, and sent her copies of the documents. She advised me not to confront Richard until she could verify the records.
Then she asked a question that changed the direction of everything.
“Have you ever signed a power of attorney or financial authorization for Liam?”
“Never.”
“Are you certain?”
I searched my files and found our original mortgage paperwork, insurance forms, and tax documents.
Nothing.
But one folder contained a copy of a form I had signed after Hailey's birth. Liam had told me it was a routine document for adding our daughter to the family insurance plan.
The final page carried my signature.
Beneath it was a clause authorizing access to certain financial records.
I had never seen that page before.
May you like
When I called Rachel, she went silent.
Then she said, “Don't sign anything else. Someone may have used your trust to make you legally responsible for a debt you never knew existed.”
