Chapter 6 - WHAT MARK NEVER TOLD ME
Mark came home at seven.
I was waiting.
The lights were off.
Only the city skyline illuminated the living room.
He stopped when he saw me.
“What happened?”
“Sit.”
He did.
I placed the Northstar documents on the table.
His eyes moved across them.
Then he looked at me.
“Where did you get those?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
I slid the life insurance policy toward him.
He stared at it.
Then closed his eyes.
“You weren't supposed to find that.”
Those words hurt more than any insult Linda had ever thrown at me.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Did you take out the policy?”
“No.”
“Did you know your mother did?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know she forged my signature?”
“I didn't know about that.”
“Do you know who did?”
He said nothing.
I leaned forward.
“Mark.”
He finally whispered,
“Her attorney.”
My heart pounded.
“Why?”
“Because Mom was desperate.”
“For money?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Nearly a million.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“She invested in a development project.”
“And lost?”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“She was being blackmailed.”
I sat back.
“By whom?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I swear.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
He rubbed his forehead.
“Because they knew I married someone financially stable.”
I froze.
“They chose me because of you?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then explain.”
He swallowed.
“Your company manages investments for several wealthy clients.”
“Yes.”
“Your access to financial systems made you valuable.”
I stared at him.
“You married me for access?”
“No.”
He stood.
“I fell in love with you.”
“Then why did you hide all this?”
“Because I thought I could fix it.”
“You couldn't.”
“I know.”
The room went silent.
Then he said:
“Mom wasn't the one who forged your signature.”
I looked up.
“Who was?”
Mark's eyes filled with fear.
“Rachel.”
I didn't move.
“Rachel?”
“Yes.”
I remembered her recording me.
Her constant phone.
Her access to my purse.
My office.
My bedroom.
Everything suddenly made sense.
“Why?”
“She needed money.”
“How much?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
“For what?”
Mark looked away.
“Gambling.”
I stared.
“Rachel is gambling?”
“Yes.”
“And my mother knew?”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“Yes.”
“And you all moved into my condo because...?”
Mark's voice cracked.
“Because the people Rachel owed money to were threatening us.”
I stood.
“Us?”
“They threatened me too.”
“Why?”
“Because I guaranteed some of her debts.”
I laughed.
It wasn't funny.
It was the kind of laugh that comes when reality becomes too absurd to process.
“So you moved your mother and sister into my home.”
“Yes.”
“You used my money.”
“Yes.”
“You forged my signature.”
“I didn't.”
“Your sister did.”
“Yes.”
“You took out life insurance on me.”
“I didn't.”
“But you knew.”
He lowered his head.
“Yes.”
I walked to the window.
For six months, I had wondered whether I was imagining things.
I wasn't.
I had simply been the only person in the house who didn't know the truth.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Daniel.
I FOUND THE PERSON BEHIND NORTHSTAR.
A second message appeared.
You need to see this tonight.
I looked at Mark.
“I'm leaving.”
His head snapped up.
May you like
“Where?”
“To find out who wants me dead.”
