Chapter 3
The beneficiary's name appeared on the second page.
Vanessa Collins.
It wasn't an apartment purchased for a business investment.
It was a property intended for Vanessa.
And part of the money had come from an account Daniel and I had used for our family's savings.
I felt as though the floor had shifted beneath my feet.
I sat down on the bed.
I went through the documents once.
Then again.
For two years, Daniel had insisted that we needed to save money.
We had canceled vacations.
Postponed buying a car.
We had even given up on fertility treatments I desperately wanted to begin because he kept saying it wasn't the right time to spend so much money.
And while he lectured me about making sacrifices together, he had been building a second life with another woman.
I also found receipts for hotels and restaurants.
A necklace.
A weekend getaway.
New furniture.
The dates matched the days Daniel had claimed he was working late.
But the most disturbing discovery wasn't the money.
It was a bank application containing my financial information and a signature that appeared to imitate the one I used on certain documents.
I had no memory of signing anything like it.
I photographed the entire folder.
That same evening, I sent the pictures to an attorney Sofía had recommended.
Her name was Laura Bennett.
We met at her office the next day.
Laura examined the documents without interrupting me.
Then she looked up.
"Elena, I need you to answer something very carefully. Did you personally sign this authorization?"
"No."
"And do you recognize this transfer?"
"No, I don't."
Laura placed the document on her desk.
"Then we need to verify what happened. We can't automatically assume forgery, but there are enough warning signs here to justify a formal investigation."
She explained that the situation could have consequences extending far beyond our divorce.
There were potential claims involving marital funds and financial transactions made without my knowledge.
She also warned me about something important: even though the apartment was registered in my name, legal ownership alone did not automatically settle every financial issue between spouses.
We needed to carefully review the deeds, the source of the funds, any outstanding obligations, and the applicable laws.
"I want a divorce," I told her.
Laura nodded.
"We can start that process."
"And I want to sell the house."
She studied me for a moment.