The Truth In The Papers

Mark took a deep breath to steady his racing pulse.

He walked directly up to Sarah and looked straight into her eyes.

Mark: Did you forge my signature on bank mortgage papers?

Sarah: Mark, we needed liquidity for our wedding and future investments!

Mark: Answer my question directly right now, Sarah!

Sarah: Yes!

Sarah: But it was for our shared future together as husband and wife!

Mark: You took out a mortgage on my dead mother's house without my knowledge?

Sarah: We are getting married today, so what is mine is yours anyway!

Mark: How much money did you take out against this house?

Sarah: Four hundred thousand dollars.

Mark covered his mouth with his trembling hand in complete disbelief.

The sum was massive enough to ruin his entire financial life forever.

Mark: Where is that money right now, Sarah?

Sarah: It is sitting in a joint holding account for our new company.

Ellen: That account is not a joint account, Mark.

Ellen: I checked the public record filings at the Dallas county court this morning.

Ellen: The account belongs solely to Sarah and her brother, Jason.

Mark felt like he had been struck by lightning right in the middle of his home.

Jason was Sarah's older brother who ran a failing real estate business downtown.

Mark: You transferred my mother's home equity to your brother's company?

Sarah: Jason was going to double the money in three months, Mark!

Sarah: We were going to buy a mansion in North Dallas for us!

Mark: You stole from my family to fund your brother's illegal gambling debt!

Sarah: It was not gambling debt!

Sarah: It was a business investment!

Mark: I know Jason's business went bankrupt six months ago, Sarah!

Sarah: He just needed one good break to recover!

Mark: By destroying my life and stealing my mother's legacy?

Mark looked down at the pearl necklace still sitting in his palm.

Mark: Why did you have this pearl necklace locked in this room today?

Ellen: Because I brought it here to show you before the ceremony, Mark.

Ellen: Sarah caught me in the hallway and locked me in this room with the key.