Chapter 7 - The transfer was fraudulent.That much was obvious.
But the document was already filed.
The deed now showed the property as part of the Bennett Family Trust.
My house.
My son's room.
My grandmother's property.
Everything.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I asked:
“How?”
Daniel answered:
“Electronic filing. Someone accessed the county system.”
“Can we reverse it?”
“Yes.”
“Then do it.”
“We're working on it.”
“What if they sell it?”
“They can't legally transfer good title.”
“But they can try.”
He was right.
And I knew Julian well enough to understand that trying was all he needed.
Marcus tracked Chloe.
She was hiding in a hotel outside the city.
We found her sitting alone in a dark room.
When I walked in, she looked up and began crying.
“I'm sorry.”
I stood several feet away.
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long have you known?”
She wiped her face.
“About the house?”
“About everything.”
She looked down.
“Six months.”
My chest tightened.
“Six months.”
“I was afraid.”
“You were sleeping with my husband.”
“Yes.”
“You helped him take my house.”
“Yes.”
“You were in the hospital.”
She began sobbing.
“I never wanted Leo to die.”
I stepped closer.
“Then tell me what happened.”
Chloe looked at Marcus.
He nodded.
She swallowed.
“Julian came to me before Leo got sick.”
“Why?”
“He told me you had inherited something valuable.”
“Something valuable?”
“The house.”
“That isn't valuable enough to destroy a family.”
“He said the house was the key.”
“To what?”
“I don't know.”
I didn't believe her.
“Try again.”
She looked at me through tears.
“Your grandfather.”
I went still.
She continued.
“He told Julian there were documents hidden inside the house.”
“The records.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Julian need me out?”
“Because he couldn't search while you were there.”
My stomach turned.
“What happened to Leo?”
Chloe closed her eyes.
“Julian wanted access to the hospital.”
“What does that mean?”
“He needed someone who could alter records.”
“Ethan.”
She nodded.
“Ethan had hospital connections.”
I felt the room tilt.
“What did Julian tell him?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie.”
“He said the medicine would only make Leo worse.”
I stared at her.
“Julian knew?”
“He said the doctors were keeping Leo alive too long.”
My legs nearly gave out.
“That's murder.”
Chloe's face crumpled.
“I didn't know what he meant.”
“You knew enough.”
“I was scared.”
“You were paid.”
She whispered:
“Yes.”
I turned away.
Marcus asked:
“Why did you agree to the property transfer?”
Chloe stared at the floor.
“Because Julian promised to leave Clara.”
I looked back.
“He promised what?”
“He said once the house was transferred, he'd divorce you and marry me.”
I laughed.
It sounded awful in that dark room.
“You believed him?”
“I loved him.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You loved what he promised.”
Then she said something that made me stop.
“Clara... he never planned to marry me.”
I stared at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because I found another document.”
“What document?”
“A life insurance policy.”
My heart froze.
“Whose?”
“Yours.”
The room fell silent.
“He took out a policy on me?”
Chloe nodded.
“A very large one.”
“How large?”
She whispered:
“Five million dollars.”
I closed my eyes.
Then she added:
“Leo had one too.”
I looked at her.
“For how much?”
“Three million.”
And suddenly I understood.
The house wasn't the only thing Julian wanted.
He had built an entire plan around my family dying.
But one question remained.
Why had he needed Leo first?
Chloe looked at me.
“Because Leo's death was supposed to make your life insurance claim look natural.”
My blood ran cold.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Clara, you were supposed to be next.”
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