Mark stepped fully inside the sunlit hallway as his mind raced in shock.
The suburban house was silent except for the faint breeze outside.
Downstairs, thirty wedding guests were sitting in the backyard, waiting for music to start.
Mark looked back and forth between Ellen and his bride, Sarah.
Sarah was leaning against the white wall, clutching her bouquet of white roses.
Mark: What do you mean Clara did not go missing on her own?
Ellen: Sarah paid Clara's rent in California to keep her far away from Dallas.
Sarah: That is a complete lie from a bitter old woman!
Ellen: I have the bank transfer receipts right here in my bag, Mark.
Ellen opened her black leather purse and pulled out a stack of paper records.
She handed the thick stack directly into Mark's cold, waiting hand.
Mark looked at the printed numbers and recognized Sarah's personal signature instantly.
Every single month for three years, five thousand dollars had been transferred.
The money was sent from Sarah's account directly to a landlord in San Diego.
Mark: Sarah, why were you sending money to keep my sister in California?
Sarah: Clara was struggling with debt, Mark!
Sarah: I was only trying to help your family without stressing you out!
Mark: By telling me she abandoned our family and cut all ties?
Sarah: She wanted a clean break from Dallas!
Ellen: Clara did not want a clean break at all, Mark.
Ellen: Sarah told Clara that you hated her and never wanted to see her again.
Mark felt a wave of pure anger rush through his entire body.
He looked at Sarah with tears forming in his dark eyes.
Mark: You made my little sister believe I hated her for three whole years?
Sarah: Mark, please listen to me!
Sarah: Your family was so broken after your father passed away!
Sarah: Clara was going to sell her share of this Dallas house to a developer!
Sarah: I did it to save your family home from being sold off!
Mark: You did it so you could marry into the entire estate yourself!
Sarah: That is not true!
Sarah: I love you more than anyone else in this entire world!
Mark: If you loved me, you would never lie about my mother's death or my sister!
Ellen: There is more you need to know about the mortgage, Mark.
Mark turned his head slowly back to the lawyer.
Mark: What mortgage are you talking about, Ellen?
Ellen: Sarah took out a second mortgage against this Dallas property last month.
Mark grabbed the doorframe to steady himself as his head spun.
Mark: This home was completely paid off by my parents twenty years ago!
Ellen: She forged your signature on the bank documents four weeks ago.
Leave a Comment
Your email will not be published.