Chapter 8 - Someone Had My Password
Julian looked at his mother.
Eleanor looked at Julian.
Both started denying it.
Rebecca ignored them.
“Claire, did you authorize a password reset?”
“No.”
“Did you request a transfer?”
“No.”
“How much?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Enough that our fraud system blocked it automatically.”
Eleanor grabbed her handbag.
“I’m leaving.”
“Put the bag down.”
My voice stopped her.
She stared at me.
“Excuse me?”
“Put it down.”
Julian suddenly looked inside the open home office.
Then at Eleanor.
“Mom…”
“What?”
“You were in Claire’s office earlier.”
“So?”
“You said you were looking for wrapping paper.”
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“What did you take?”
“Nothing!”
Then something vibrated.
Everyone heard it.
Not my phone.
Not Julian’s.
The sound came from Eleanor’s handbag.
She grabbed it.
Julian reached first.
They struggled.
The bag fell.
Its contents scattered across the floor.
Lipstick.
Wallet.
Keys.
Receipts.
A second smartphone.
And a small notebook.
Rebecca picked up the notebook.
Eleanor lunged.
“DON’T!”
Julian blocked her.
Rebecca opened it.
Inside were usernames.
Partial passwords.
Account names.
And handwritten security questions.
Mine.
My mother’s maiden name.
My childhood street.
My first employer.
Information Eleanor had gathered casually over years of family conversations.
Julian stared at her.
“What were you doing?”
She shook her head.
“You don't understand.”
Then Rebecca noticed another name.
She stopped.
“Claire.”
“What?”
She showed me.
Wellington Residential Holdings.
Below it was a string of numbers.
Thomas stepped closer.
“That looks like a document reference.”
He searched his files.
Then went silent.
“What?” I asked.
Thomas looked at me.
“There was an attempted filing against the penthouse this afternoon.”
Julian frowned.
“What filing?”
Thomas answered:
“A transfer of ownership.”
My stomach tightened.
“To whom?”
Thomas slowly turned the page toward us.
The receiving entity had been created forty-eight hours earlier.
Its authorized representative was listed as—
Julian Hayes.
My husband stared at the document.
“I DIDN’T DO THAT.”
May you like
And for the first time all night—
I believed him.
