Chapter 7: The House Bought With My Identity
“I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?””
My father's voice sounded strangely distant.
The bank investigator repeated herself.
“Someone appears to have used your daughter's personal information to support a mortgage application. We're investigating whether her identity was used without authorization.””
Dad stood so quickly that his chair fell backward.
“That's impossible. She's seventeen.””
“That's precisely why the application has been flagged for further review, Mr. Bennett. We need to establish who submitted the information and whether any signatures were forged.””
Grandma reached for the phone.
“Has any money been released?””
“Not to the applicant directly. However, we have identified several linked transactions that require investigation.””
“Who is the applicant?”” Grandma asked.
The investigator hesitated.
“I'm afraid I can only discuss certain details with the authorized account holder and our legal representative.””
Dad looked at me.
“It's my daughter. I need to know who's been using her information.””
“I understand. We have scheduled a meeting with our fraud department tomorrow morning.””
Dad gave her the attorney's details.
When the call ended, nobody moved.
I stared at the photograph of Mom on the coffee table.
A mortgage.
Someone had apparently tried to use my identity to buy a house.
I was seventeen.
I didn't even have a credit card.
“Dad,” I whispered, “what happens if they put a house in my name?””
He came over and knelt beside me.
“They won't be allowed to do anything without investigating this.””
“But what if they already did?””
“Then we'll deal with it. You didn't do anything wrong.””
I looked at him.
“Why does everyone keep using my name?””
He had no answer.
At 11:30 that night, Aunt Evelyn arrived carrying a thick folder and a small laptop bag.
She hugged me first.
Not a polite hug.
A real one.
The kind that made me feel like I was allowed to be somebody's priority.
“Oh, Maya,” she whispered.
“I wish I'd been there sooner.””
I held on to her.
“Why didn't you tell me about Mom's money?””
“I tried, sweetheart. But Vanessa always seemed to be one step ahead. She told me you didn't want contact with me, and she told your father I was trying to interfere with his marriage.””
She sat beside Grandma.
Then she opened the folder.
“I brought the original trust amendment, the attorney correspondence, and copies of the account statements I received before I lost access.””
Dad examined the first document.
“Evelyn, why didn't you take this to the police?””
“I was preparing to. But I needed to establish exactly what had happened. I couldn't accuse someone based on suspicious transfers alone.””
She placed another document on the table.
“This is what I found three months ago.””
It was an email from Vanessa.
The subject line read:
*MAYA'S EDUCATION ACCOUNT — URGENT.*
Evelyn explained that Vanessa had contacted her requesting permission to move money from the trust into an investment account.
She had claimed the investment would increase the value of Maya's inheritance.
Evelyn had refused.
“I told her the trust couldn't be used that way without proper authorization,” Evelyn explained.
Dad frowned.
“What did she say?””
Evelyn pulled out a printed response.
“She said she would find another way.””
I felt cold.
“What does that mean?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“I think we're beginning to understand.””
Dad turned another page.
There were several transfers, each with a different description.
Education.
Living expenses.
Investment deposit.
Property reservation.
But one transaction stood out.
$18,750.
It had been transferred to a property management company.
Dad recognized the name.
“That's the company that handled Vanessa's condominium.””
Evelyn nodded.
“And look at the date.””
It was two weeks after Vanessa had requested permission to access the trust.
Dad rubbed his forehead.
“She told me her sister helped with the deposit.””
Evelyn stared at him.
“Her sister doesn't have that kind of money.””
I looked at the statement.
“Then the money came from Mom?””
“Possibly,” Evelyn said.
“The bank needs to trace the exact route.””
Dad stood and walked toward the window.
For a moment, I thought he might leave the room.
Instead, he turned around.
“I need to tell you both something.””
His voice was unsteady.
“About a year ago, Vanessa told me Maya had been asking questions about her mother's inheritance.””
I frowned.
“I never asked her.””
“I know that now.””
He continued.
“She said you had become obsessed with money and that you were trying to find a way to get access to the account before you turned eighteen.””
I stared at him.
“I didn't even know how much was in it.””
“I know.””
“Then why did you believe her?””
He closed his eyes.
“Because she showed me a document.””
“What document?””
“A form that appeared to contain your signature, authorizing her to manage certain financial matters on your behalf.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“Was it the paper I signed?””
“I think so.””
Evelyn leaned forward.
“Richard, that document may have been used to justify the investment account.””
Dad nodded slowly.
“I should have asked Maya.””
Grandma's voice was sharp.
“Yes, you should have.””
Dad didn't argue.
He returned to the table.
“I've already contacted the attorney. We're going to challenge every transaction and protect Maya's identity.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Good. But there's another problem.””
She removed a folded sheet of paper from her folder.
It was an email printed from Vanessa's old correspondence.
The message had been sent to a property broker.
The subject was:
*SECOND PROPERTY PURCHASE.*
Dad read it.
Then he looked at Evelyn.
“What's this?””
“Vanessa was discussing another property.””
I leaned closer.
The proposed purchase price was $320,000.
The applicant's name was listed as Maya Bennett.
My hands went numb.
“That's me.””
Evelyn nodded.
“The broker asked for proof of income and identification. Vanessa replied that the necessary documents would be supplied.””
Dad's expression became furious.
“She was trying to buy another property using Maya's name?””
“We don't know whether the purchase went through,” Evelyn said.
“But we need to find out.””
I looked at the email.
At the bottom was a sentence written by Vanessa.
The young applicant will not need to attend the appointment.
I read it again.
Then again.
She had been planning to do all of this without me knowing.
A knock sounded at the front door.
Everyone froze.
Dad checked the clock.
11:58 p.m.
“Who would that be?””
Grandma stood.
“Stay here.””
She walked toward the entrance.
A moment later, we heard her speak.
“Vanessa?””
Dad immediately stood up.
I felt my heartbeat accelerate.
Grandma opened the door only partway.
Vanessa stood on the porch wearing a long cream coat.
Her hair was perfectly arranged.
She looked at Grandma with a smile that disappeared when she saw Dad behind her.
“Richard.””
He didn't invite her inside.
“What do you want?””
“To talk to my husband.””
“You can talk from there.””
Her expression hardened.
“Don't be childish.””
She looked past him and spotted me.
“Maya, sweetheart.””
I almost laughed.
There was nothing sweet in her voice.
“Come outside. We need to discuss what's happening.””
Dad stepped forward.
“No.””
Vanessa blinked.
“Excuse me?””
“You don't get to speak to her privately right now.””
She gave a disbelieving laugh.
“Richard, you're allowing your daughter to turn you against me.””
Dad shook his head.
“No, Vanessa. I'm finally listening to the documents.””
She glanced toward the coffee table.
The folder was visible.
Her expression changed.
“Where did you get those?””
Evelyn stepped into view.
“From the people who actually had permission to keep them.””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
“You had no right.””
Grandma folded her arms.
“That's an interesting thing to say to the person who paid for Maya's ticket.””
Vanessa's jaw tightened.
Then she looked at Dad.
“Richard, you need to understand something. Everything I did was for this family.””
Dad's voice was quiet.
“Did you use Maya's identity to apply for a mortgage?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
“Did you move money from Laura's trust?””
“Those accounts are complicated.””
“That's not an answer.””
“You wouldn't understand the financial arrangements.””
“Then explain them.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Maya, tell your father what you signed.””
I felt my stomach twist.
“You told me it was for college applications.””
She shook her head.
“No, I told you it was to help organize your future.””
“You never explained that it gave you financial authority.””
“Because you're too young to understand these things.””
Dad's expression changed.
“She's old enough to understand when someone steals from her.””
Vanessa's face went red.
“Watch your mouth.””
Dad took a step toward the door.
“No. You watch yours.””
For the first time, Vanessa looked frightened.
But then she did something unexpected.
She smiled.
A small, cold smile.
“You're all making a terrible mistake.””
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a thick envelope.
Then she held it toward Dad.
“Before you decide who the villain is, perhaps you should read what your first wife signed before she died.””
Dad didn't take it.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“What is that?””
Vanessa looked directly at me.
“It's the document your mother never wanted Maya to see.””
Then she placed the envelope on the porch.
And walked away.
Dad picked it up.
Inside was a photocopy of a legal agreement.
At the top were the words:
*REVOCATION OF BENEFICIARY RIGHTS.*
And beneath them was my mother's name.
But there was something wrong.
May you like
The signature was dated three days before Mom died.
And according to the document, she had voluntarily removed me from the inheritance.
