Chapter 4 - MY FATHER CAME TO MY OFFICE
Rachel found three credit applications.
Not wedding contracts.
Business loans.
All connected to a limited liability company called Mercer Hospitality Ventures.
Managing member:
Julian Mercer.
Guarantor:
Daniel Mercer.
Except I had never heard of Mercer Hospitality Ventures.
“How much?”
“Two hundred forty thousand total exposure.”
My stomach dropped.
“Outstanding?”
“About one hundred seventy-six.”
“I never guaranteed anything.”
“I know.”
“Signatures?”
“Yours.”
Forged.
Again.
Suddenly Julian's failed business from two years earlier looked different.
I had paid $26,000 because Dad said Julian needed help clearing supplier debt.
Apparently that business had not disappeared.
It had mutated.
Rachel continued:
“Your Social Security number appears on one application.”
“How?”
“Your parents have it?”
Of course.
Tax forms.
Childhood documents.
College aid.
My father had access to everything once.
I felt physically sick.
“Call the lenders.”
“We need strategy first.”
“Why?”
“If we accuse them immediately, records can disappear.”
She was right.
Again.
“Preserve everything.”
“Already doing it.”
At 3:30, reception called.
“Your father is here.”
Of course he was.
I almost refused.
Then:
“Send him up.”
Dad entered my office wearing the navy overcoat I bought him for Christmas.
That detail nearly made me laugh.
He closed the door.
“You've made your point.”
“I haven't made any point.”
“Stop playing games.”
“What do you want?”
“Restore the card.”
“No.”
“Pay the vendors.”
“I already paid the vendors I agreed to.”
“Julian needs the upgrades.”
“No one needs a champagne wall.”
Dad slapped his palm against my desk.
“This is your brother's wedding!”
“And?”
His eyes widened.
“And family comes first.”
I stared.
“Did family come first when Julian threw me out?”
“You embarrassed him.”
“How?”
“You always have to show everyone how much you've done.”
“I never told anyone what I paid.”
“People know.”
“Because Julian told them?”
Dad looked away.
Interesting.
“Did you forge my signature?”
Silence.
Everything changed.
He didn't ask what I meant.
He didn't look confused.
He looked angry.
That was answer enough.
“Dad.”
“I was trying to help your brother.”
“You forged my signature.”
“Don't use legal language with me.”
I almost laughed.
“Forgery isn't legal language. It's a crime.”
His face flushed.
“You'd call the police on your own father?”
“I didn't say that.”
“But you're thinking it.”
“Did you use my information on Julian's business loans?”
His expression changed.
Fear.
Small.
But there.
I stood.
“How much?”
“Daniel—”
“How much debt did you put in my name?”
“It's being handled.”
“By whom?”
“Julian.”
“The man whose cards are maxed?”
“He has opportunities coming.”
“What opportunities?”
“The marriage.”
I froze.
“What?”
Dad realized his mistake.
Too late.
“What does Chloe's marriage have to do with Julian's debt?”
“Nothing.”
“Her trust fund.”
Silence.
I walked around the desk.
“You expect Chloe to pay Julian's debt after they marry.”
Dad said nothing.
“Does Chloe know?”
“That's between husband and wife.”
“Does she know?”
“Lower your voice.”
“This is my office.”
Dad looked toward the glass walls.
Then leaned closer.
“Chloe will have access to substantial money once she's married.”
“How substantial?”
“Enough.”
“And Julian plans to use it for his business?”
“It's their future.”
“Does she know about the $176,000?”
“Daniel.”
That meant no.
My family had built the wedding around a second financial victim.
Me before the ceremony.
Chloe after.
Suddenly I wanted to speak to her.
Not because I liked her.
I didn't.
But nobody deserved to discover after marriage that their spouse viewed them as debt relief.
Dad seemed to read my face.
“Don't you dare.”
“Dare what?”
“Interfere.”
“Why?”
“Because Julian finally has a chance to get ahead.”
“With Chloe's money?”
“With family resources.”
I stared at him.
There it was.
Their philosophy.
If someone loved you, what they owned became available.
My salary.
Chloe's trust.
Anyone with resources owed the family.
“What happened to you?” I asked.
Dad recoiled.
“Excuse me?”
“You taught me never to take what wasn't mine.”
“I taught you to take care of family.”
“No. You taught me that too. Somewhere along the way you decided they're the same thing.”
He pointed at me.
“Don't judge me.”
“Leave.”
“You'll regret this.”
“Probably.”
“Your mother will never forgive you.”
That used to frighten me.
Now?
“Okay.”
He stared.
I opened the door.
Dad left.
Before the elevator arrived, he turned.
“You think your money makes you better than us.”
“No.”
I looked directly at him.
“I think what you're doing makes you worse than I thought you were.”
The elevator doors closed.
My hands started shaking afterward.
Not during.
After.
Rachel called an hour later.
“I've got the lender documents.”
“Dad admitted enough.”
“Recorded?”
“No.”
“Too bad.”
“My office has security audio.”
Pause.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“Remind me never to commit fraud in your office.”
For the first time all day, I laughed.
Then my phone buzzed.
Chloe.
May you like
We need to talk privately. Julian cannot know.
---
