Chapter 8: The Cousin Behind the Company
Tasha didn't accuse Camille immediately.
She wanted to.
The name on the document was clear, and Monique's message left little room for misunderstanding. But Tasha had already learned what happened when she let fear outrun evidence.
She had accused Nia.
She had been wrong.
This time, she needed to know exactly what she was looking at.
Nia took the phone from her and studied the registration document.
“Are we sure this is real?””
“I don't know,” Tasha replied.
“Then let's verify it before we say anything.””
Tasha looked across the living room.
Camille was laughing at something Danielle had said. She held a paper plate in one hand and a half-empty glass in the other, completely unaware of the conversation happening behind the kitchen doorway.
She had arrived at the party with a gift bag, a bottle of sparkling cider, and the familiar confidence of someone who considered Tasha's apartment a second home.
She had also helped Tasha move into that apartment.
She knew where Tasha kept her paperwork.
She knew her passwords.
And she had been one of the people encouraging Tasha to trust Marcus.
Tasha's stomach twisted.
“I'm going to ask her.””
Nia touched her arm.
“Privately.””
Tasha nodded.
She walked into the living room and approached her cousin.
“Camille, can I talk to you for a minute?””
Camille smiled.
“Of course. What's wrong?””
“Come into the kitchen.””
Camille's smile faded slightly.
“Okay.””
She followed Tasha through the doorway, then stopped when she saw Nia standing beside the counter with the phone in her hand.
“What is this?”” Camille asked.
Tasha took a breath.
“Do you know a company called M&K Strategic Ventures?””
Camille's face went blank.
It was only for a moment.
But Tasha saw it.
“Why are you asking me that?”” Camille said.
“Because your name is listed as the managing member.””
Camille looked at the phone.
Then she laughed.
It was a quick, nervous sound.
“Girl, that has to be some kind of mistake.””
“Is it?””
“Yes.””
“Then explain it.””
Camille set her plate on the counter.
“I don't know anything about that company.””
Tasha held her gaze.
“Your name is on the registration document.””
“Anybody can put somebody's name on paperwork.””
“Did Marcus put your name on it?””
Camille's expression tightened.
“Why would he do that?””
“That's what I'm asking you.””
For several seconds, Camille said nothing.
Then she looked toward the living room.
“Can we not do this here?””
Tasha felt her heart drop.
“Why?””
“Because everybody is listening.””
“No, they're not. The music is on, and we're in the kitchen. Just answer me.””
Camille rubbed her forehead.
“Tasha, I came here to celebrate your birthday. I don't want to spend the night arguing over some document I have never seen.””
Nia stepped forward.
“Then it should be easy to explain why your name is on it.””
Camille shot her a sharp look.
“I wasn't talking to you.””
Nia didn't move.
“And I'm not going anywhere.””
Tasha raised a hand.
“Please. Both of you.””
She turned back to Camille.
“Did you help Marcus start a business?””
Camille's eyes flickered.
It was a small movement, but it answered more than her words had.
Tasha felt a painful pressure behind her ribs.
“Camille?””
Her cousin looked down.
“I helped him with some paperwork.””
Tasha stared at her.
“What paperwork?””
“Business registration. That's all.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because it wasn't your business.””
Tasha flinched.
“I'm on the investor list.””
“You weren't supposed to be.””
The words came out before Camille could stop them.
Silence filled the kitchen.
Camille's face changed as she realized what she had said.
Tasha gripped the edge of the counter.
“What do you mean, I wasn't supposed to be?””
Camille shook her head.
“I didn't mean it like that.””
“Then how did you mean it?””
Camille looked toward Nia.
“Can you give us a minute?””
“No,” Tasha said.
“Whatever you have to say, say it in front of her.””
Camille's shoulders dropped.
She looked suddenly tired.
“Marcus told me he was trying to build a business. He said he needed help registering it because he didn't have the right paperwork ready.””
“And you agreed?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know he was borrowing money from women?””
“No.””
“Did you know he was telling people he was single?””
Camille hesitated.
Tasha felt her chest tighten.
“Camille.””
“I knew he and Brielle were close.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Camille closed her eyes.
“I knew he had been spending time with her.””
“And you knew he was dating me.””
“Yes.””
Tasha stepped back.
The room seemed to grow smaller with every answer.
“You watched me plan a future with him. You watched me defend him. You watched me accuse Nia of trying to steal him. And you never said anything?””
“I didn't know everything.””
“But you knew enough!””
Camille's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to protect you.””
Tasha laughed bitterly.
“From what? The truth?””
Camille shook her head.
“From getting hurt.””
Tasha stared at her.
“You let me get hurt.””
“I know.””
The quiet admission unsettled Tasha more than another denial would have.
Camille sat down at the table.
“I need to explain something.””
Tasha remained standing.
“Then explain.””
Camille took a deep breath.
“Marcus came to me about eight months ago. He said he wanted to start a business, but his credit wasn't good enough to qualify for the accounts he needed. He asked whether I would help him register the company under my name.””
“Why you?””
“He said he trusted me. He said he wanted to build something that would eventually support you and him.””
Tasha felt tears prick her eyes.
“He said that?””
“Yes.””
Camille continued.
“He told me you two were planning to move in together, and he wanted to surprise you with something stable. He said he didn't want you to know about the business until it was ready.””
Tasha looked at Nia.
Nia's expression remained guarded.
“Did you believe him?”” Tasha asked.
Camille nodded.
“At first.””
“And the money?””
“I didn't handle the money. Marcus said he had investors.””
“Monique and Brielle?””
“I didn't know who they were.””
“Then why is my name on the investment list?””
Camille looked down.
“Marcus asked me to prepare a financial projection. He said you might be willing to invest later.””
“But I never agreed.””
“I know.””
Tasha's voice shook.
“Then why did you list me as if I had already committed fifteen thousand dollars?””
Camille pressed her hands together.
“Marcus told me to put your name down as a potential investor.””
“The document says initial capital commitment.””
“I know what it says.””
“Then you knew it was a lie.””
Camille looked up sharply.
“I didn't create that wording. Marcus changed the document after I sent it to him.””
Tasha stared at her.
“Can you prove that?””
Camille nodded slowly.
“I still have the original email.””
“Show me.””
Camille pulled out her phone and searched her inbox.
She scrolled through several messages before finding one from Marcus dated three months earlier.
She opened it and placed the phone on the table.
The email contained an attachment and a short message.
*Marcus: Thanks for putting this together. I'll update the investor section before I send it out. Don't worry about Tasha's name; I'm just using it to show potential interest.*
Camille had replied:
*Camille: As long as you understand she hasn't agreed to invest. Don't make it look like she signed anything.*
Tasha read the exchange twice.
It didn't prove everything, but it confirmed one important detail.
Camille had known Tasha had not agreed to invest.
She had also warned Marcus not to misrepresent her involvement.
“Why didn't you tell me he changed the document?”” Tasha asked.
“I didn't know he had.””
“But you knew he was using your company to raise money.””
Camille lowered her eyes.
“Yes.””
“And you didn't check what he was doing?””
“I should have.””
Tasha felt a fresh wave of anger.
“Do you understand that people may believe I'm involved in this? My name is on that document. What happens if somebody thinks I promised them money?””
Camille nodded, crying now.
“I know. I'm sorry.””
Tasha turned away.
She wanted to believe her cousin.
She wanted to believe that Camille had made a foolish decision and then failed to correct it.
But another question remained.
“Why did you keep telling me Marcus was a good man?””
Camille looked up.
“Because I thought he was.””
“You told me I was lucky to have him.””
“I thought he was trying to do something good for you.””
“You told me not to listen to Monique.””
Camille froze.
Tasha turned back.
“What?””
Camille swallowed.
“When Monique started asking questions, Marcus told me she was trying to ruin his reputation. He asked me to tell people not to get involved.””
Tasha's eyes widened.
“You knew about Monique before tonight?””
Camille didn't answer.
Tasha stepped closer.
“How long?””
“About two months.””
The silence that followed was brutal.
Two months.
For two months, Camille had known that Marcus was involved in a dispute with another woman over money.
For two months, she had watched Tasha make plans with him.
For two months, she had said nothing.
Tasha shook her head slowly.
“You weren't protecting me. You were protecting yourself.””
Camille began to cry harder.
“I was scared. My name is on the company. If something goes wrong, I could lose everything.””
“So you let me walk into it blind?””
“I didn't think it would get this bad.””
Tasha looked at her cousin, the person she had called whenever life became too complicated.
The person who knew her favorite childhood memories and the names of every boy she had ever liked.
The person who had promised to tell her when she was making a mistake.
“Did you get any money from Marcus?”” Tasha asked.
Camille looked down.
The hesitation was enough.
Tasha's voice dropped.
“How much?””
“Five thousand dollars.””
Nia inhaled sharply.
Tasha stared at Camille.
“He paid you?””
“He said it was consulting money.””
“Did you do five thousand dollars' worth of work?””
Camille didn't answer.
Tasha stepped away from the table.
For a moment, she couldn't speak. Her cousin had helped Marcus create the business documents, had known about the debt dispute, and had accepted money from him.
Maybe Camille hadn't planned the whole thing.
Maybe she hadn't known about every lie.
But she had made choices.
And those choices had helped Marcus keep his operation running.
Camille reached for Tasha's hand.
“Please. I know I messed up.””
Tasha pulled away.
“Don't touch me right now.””
Camille recoiled.
“I love you.””
“Then why didn't you act like it?””
Camille covered her face.
The question hung in the kitchen.
Tasha wanted to walk away, but she needed one more answer.
“Did Marcus ever ask you to access my accounts?””
Camille lowered her hands.
“No.””
Tasha looked at her phone.
The unfamiliar device session remained visible on the screen.
“Then who logged into my account tonight?””
Camille looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
“I don't know.””
Tasha studied her face.
“Camille, I need you to tell me the truth.””
“I am.””
“Did you give Marcus my password?””
Camille shook her head.
“No.””
“Did you tell him where I keep my documents?””
“No.””
“Did you know he was accessing my files?””
Camille opened her mouth.
Then she stopped.
Tasha felt her heart sink.
“Camille?””
Her cousin stared at the floor.
Finally, she whispered, “I told him you kept some financial documents on your laptop. I didn't know he was going to use them.””
Tasha felt a cold wave wash through her.
“You told him where my documents were?””
“I thought he was trying to organize the business proposal. He said he needed the original spreadsheet.””
“Did you give him permission to access my account?””
“No.””
“Did you know he had my password?””
Camille nodded faintly.
Tasha backed away from the table.
She had trusted Marcus with her password because he was her boyfriend.
She had trusted Camille with her personal information because she was family.
Both had taken that trust and treated it as something they could use.
Her phone buzzed.
A new message arrived from Monique.
*Monique: I checked the company records again. There is another name attached to the business. Someone who signed a document acknowledging the investors' money.*
Tasha opened the attachment.
The first page contained a list of names.
The second contained a signature.
Tasha stared at it.
The signature wasn't hers.
It wasn't Camille's.
It belonged to Marcus.
Beneath it was a statement declaring that the company had received $48,000 in investor contributions.
Tasha looked at the dates.
Some of the money had been transferred before the company was officially registered.
Other transfers had occurred afterward.
And the document listed Tasha as a contributor, despite the fact that she had never given Marcus a single dollar.
“This is fraud,” Nia whispered.
“Potentially,” Camille said, her voice trembling.
“But I don't know what he submitted to the bank.””
Tasha looked at her cousin.
“You're going to help us find out.””
Camille nodded.
“I will.””
“And you're going to give us every email, every document, every message you have about this company.””
“I will.””
“No more protecting Marcus. No more protecting yourself. If you knew something, you're going to tell the truth.””
Camille wiped her face.
“Okay.””
Tasha turned toward the living room.
The party was still going, but nobody was laughing now. Several guests had gathered near the doorway, drawn by the raised voices.
Tasha looked at them and felt a fresh wave of embarrassment.
Her birthday had become the night every lie in her life came to the surface.
But this time, she wasn't going to pretend everything was fine just to protect appearances.
She stepped into the living room and spoke clearly.
“I'm sorry, everybody. I need to end the party early. Something serious has happened, and I need to handle it.””
People began collecting their belongings.
Some offered hugs. Others asked whether she was okay.
Tasha thanked them without explaining everything.
Nia stayed beside her.
When the last guest left, Tasha closed the door and leaned against it.
She felt exhausted.
Then she noticed a message on her phone.
It was from Marcus.
*Marcus: I know Camille told you about the company. Ask her why she signed the agreement.*
Tasha looked toward the kitchen.
Camille stood motionless near the table.
Nia took the phone and read the message.
“Why would he say that?””
Tasha turned toward her cousin.
“Camille, did you sign an agreement?””
Camille's face went pale.
“I signed the registration paperwork.””
“Anything else?””
Camille didn't answer.
Tasha's voice trembled.
“Camille.””
Her cousin slowly reached into her handbag and removed a folded document.
“I didn't know what it meant,” she whispered.
Tasha took it.
At the top of the page was a title:
*PERSONAL GUARANTOR AGREEMENT.*
Beneath it was Camille's signature.
And beside her signature was a second name.
*Tasha Williams.*
Someone had signed Tasha's name to a financial guarantee she had never seen.
Tasha stared at the document.
Then she looked at Camille.
“Did you know he was going to do this?””
Camille's eyes filled with tears.
“No.””
Tasha wanted to believe her.
But as she looked at the signature, one terrible possibility rose above all the others.
Marcus hadn't simply used Tasha's name to make his business look legitimate.
May you like
He might have used it to make her legally responsible for money she had never borrowed.
And if that was true, the lies she had uncovered tonight were only the beginning.