At three, Cynthia sent a message.
Ella sweetheart, marriage is difficult, especially for girls without much family guidance. Come home and we’ll talk privately. Elias loves you deeply. Don’t let insecurity ruin your blessing.
I showed it to Rebecca.
She read it and gave a humorless smile. “Girls without much family guidance. Interesting choice.”
“My mother’s been gone five years,” I said.
“I know.”
Something cold moved through me, calmer than anger.
Cynthia had hugged me at the wedding with tears in her eyes. She had worn lilac silk and told my aunt she hoped I would finally feel like I had a mother again.
Now I understood. She had not been offering love.
She had been measuring an empty chair.
That evening, Rebecca came to my room with a folder.
“We found something in the apartment documents.”
I stood too quickly. “What?”
“Not disaster. But strange. Elias insisted on handling the final wiring instructions, correct?”
“Yes. He said he had time during lunch.”
“The funds landed properly with escrow. That part is fine. But before that, they sat in the joint account for nine days.”
“I remember. The closing was delayed.”
“During those nine days, three transfers came out and were returned before closing.”
My pulse jumped. “Returned?”
“Yes. Same amounts. Same day or next day. Small enough not to affect closing but large enough to be noticed if we’re looking.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand each.”
I stared at her.
“Where did they go?”
“To an account connected to a company called B.L. Consulting.”
“Brenda?”
“That would be my assumption, but assumptions are not evidence.”
I sank onto the edge of the bed.
Brenda had been at my bridal shower. She had brought a ceramic vase and joked that Elias was terrible at choosing home decor. She had touched her stomach once, briefly, when she thought no one was watching.
“How pregnant is she?” I asked.
Rebecca paused. “Do you know?”
“No. Cynthia said the baby would get its own room in a year.”
“Then we don’t know yet.”
I looked at the folder. “Why move the money out and put it back?”
“Testing access. Creating records. Maybe proving to someone that funds existed. Maybe borrowing temporarily.”
“Borrowing from me.”
Rebecca’s face did not change. “Yes.”
After she left, I finally showered.
