Chapter 7 - THE ACCOUNT WITH MY NAME ON IT
Grace and I were browsing a bookstore when my attorney called.
Her name was Rebecca Sloan.
I had hired her that morning.
Not because I had decided to divorce Damian.
Because I wanted to understand my options.
“Emma,” Rebecca said, “there's something you need to know.”
I stepped into a quiet corner.
“What?”
“Your name appears on a corporate account associated with Romano Harbor Development.”
I frowned.
“That can't be right.”
“Are you an authorized signatory?”
“No.”
“Have you ever signed documents for the company?”
“Only charity paperwork.”
Rebecca paused.
“Someone has used your signature on financial documents.”
My stomach dropped.
She explained that preliminary records suggested substantial funds had moved through an account opened in my name.
I had never seen the account.
Never received statements.
Never authorized transactions.
I sat down.
Grace watched me.
“Emma?”
I covered the phone.
“Someone used my name.”
Rebecca continued.
“I want you to preserve every document you have and avoid discussing details with anyone connected to the company until we understand what happened.”
I nodded.
After the call, Grace sat beside me.
“What's going on?”
I told her.
Her face hardened.
“Victor?”
“I don't know.”
But I had a terrible feeling.
That night, I searched through the digital copies of old household documents I had saved.
Insurance forms.
Tax records.
Charity agreements.
Then I found something.
A scanned authorization dated two years earlier.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
But the middle initial was wrong.
My name was Emma Claire Romano.
The document said Emma Catherine Romano.
I stared.
Someone had copied my signature without knowing my full legal name.
I called Rebecca.
She told me to send the document securely.
Then she asked whether I had ever shared financial paperwork with Victor.
I thought back.
Two years earlier, Olivia had asked me to sign several forms for a family foundation.
Victor had collected them.
I remembered asking what they were.
He'd said they were routine.
Damian had been standing nearby.
He'd told me not to worry.
I closed my eyes.
For years, I had believed my biggest problem was that nobody listened to me.
Now I realized someone might have been counting on that.
The next morning, Rebecca contacted Damian's outside counsel.
By afternoon, Damian knew.
He called me.
“Emma, did you authorize an account under Romano Harbor Development?”
“No.”
A pause.
“Are you sure?”
I stared at the phone.
“Damian.”
He exhaled.
“I'm sorry. That was the wrong question.”
“Yes,” I said. “It was.”
He continued.
“My attorneys are investigating.”
“So are mine.”
“Good.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Damian said:
“Emma, I think Victor has been using your name.”
I closed my eyes.
“I think so too.”
He swallowed.
“I'm going to fix this.”
I looked out the window.
“No, Damian.”
My voice was steady.
“We're going to find out what happened. But you don't get to fix my life for me.”
A long silence.
May you like
Then he said, “Understood.”
And for once, I believed he was learning.
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