Chapter 8 - The Signature
The note didn’t say what I was supposed to sign.
That terrified me more than if it had.
I called my attorney, Melissa Grant.
She told me not to confront Simone about the folder.
Too late.
Simone stood in the garage doorway staring at the papers in my hand.
“You went through my things.”
I laughed in disbelief.
“Your things?”
“You had no right.”
“My insurance policy is your thing?”
“It’s public inside the marriage.”
“Maya’s Social Security number too?”
She looked away.
Melissa told me to photograph every page and take the originals somewhere secure.
Then she asked a question that made my skin crawl.
“Andre, has Simone recently asked you to sign anything?”
I thought back.
There had been paperwork.
Always paperwork.
School forms. Home refinancing mail. Insurance renewals.
Then I remembered.
Two weeks earlier Simone had placed a stack beside my coffee.
“Just signatures,” she’d said. “The accountant needs them.”
I had signed three pages without reading closely.
I felt sick.
“What did I sign?”
Simone’s expression changed.
Nothing dramatic.
Just a tiny tightening around her mouth.
I saw it.
Melissa heard my silence.
“Andre?”
“I signed something two weeks ago.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
She exhaled slowly.
“Get out of the house if you can. Take the children. I’m going to check county filings and your business records.”
Simone stepped forward.
“You are not taking my kids.”
“I’m not leaving them here while we figure this out.”
“You don’t get to decide that.”
“Then call the police.”
She stared at me.
For a second I thought she would.
Then she smiled.
That scared me.
“Go ahead,” she said. “Take them.”
Caleb frowned.
“Mom?”
Simone walked past him.
“I’m tired of all of you acting like I’m the problem.”
Maya whispered, “You hit me.”
Simone turned.
“And you’ve hated me since I married your father.”
“That’s not true.”
“You never wanted me here.”
Maya’s face collapsed.
I stepped in front of her.
“Stop.”
Simone pointed toward the garage door.
“Get out.”
I took the kids to my sister Tiana’s house.
An hour later, Melissa called.
“Andre, I found a filing.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What filing?”
“A change connected to Carter Development.”
My company.
“What change?”
“There’s a document naming Simone as an authorized managing member with broad financial authority.”
“That’s impossible.”
“It carries your signature.”
The room seemed to shrink.
“I never agreed to that.”
“Then we may be looking at fraud.”
I sat down.
Melissa continued.
“There’s more. A line of credit was requested against the business three days ago.”
“How much?”
“Two hundred fifty thousand.”
I couldn’t breathe.
“Was it approved?”
“Pending.”
I closed my eyes.
Then Melissa said, “Andre, someone uploaded supporting documents yesterday from your home IP address.”
I opened my eyes.
Yesterday.
While I was at work.
While Maya was at school.
While Simone was home alone.
But Melissa wasn’t finished.
“The application lists a second guarantor.”
“Who?”
May you like
She paused.
“Your daughter.”
