I Was The Temporary Guest In The Home I Helped Buy Chapter 05

I Was The Temporary Guest In The Home I Helped Buy Chapter 05

At nine the next morning, I went to the law firm.

The attorney’s name was Elise Parker. She was my college classmate’s partner at the firm.

As Elise reviewed the documents I had brought, her expression grew steadily more serious.

“The memo on the wire transfer identifies it as a house down payment. The bank can retrieve the record

whenever we need it.”

“With the remaining pieces of the supplemental agreement and the message history, they’ll have a hard time

claiming the money was a gift.”

“If they try to use the document with your forged signature, that will be even more serious.”

I held a paper cup between my hands, but my fingertips were still cold.

“I want my money back.”

Elise nodded.

“We’ll start with a demand letter. Since the wedding hasn’t happened yet, I recommend formally notifying

them that it’s canceled. That will make it harder for them to use the engagement to muddy the financial

dispute later.”

When I left the firm, I already had more than ten missed calls.

Some were from Graham. Others were from his mother.

Sabrina had also sent me a follow request on Instagram.

The attached message contained only one sentence.

Sabrina: [Nora, are you misunderstanding what’s going on between Graham and me?]

I declined the request.

That afternoon, the wedding group chat with our friends and family was still discussing how many tables

they would need.

Graham’s mother sent a voice message.

Mrs. Mercer: [Don’t seat Nora’s relatives too close to the head table. They’re from a small town and have

probably never been to a hotel this upscale. They’d be uncomfortable in the middle of everything anyway.]

I stared at the message and listened to it twice.

Then the tightness in my chest suddenly disappeared.

I no longer cared. I was not going to be the bride anyway.

I posted every piece of evidence in the group chat, one after another.

Then I sent two messages.

Me: [The wedding is canceled.]

Me: [The reason is simple. I paid toward the house we were supposed to live in, but I couldn’t even get into

the garage. The man I was going to marry was taking a pregnancy test with another woman. And my

parents’ $50,000 was rewritten as a gift.]

The group went silent for three seconds.

Then it exploded.

[What’s going on?]

[A forged signature? That’s serious.]

[Nora’s family contributed the money. How did it suddenly become a gift?]

Graham’s mother called immediately.

I answered.

Her voice was shrill enough to hurt my ears.

“Nora, have you lost your mind? You don’t air family business in public. After posting all that, how are you

ever supposed to face anyone again?”

I listened calmly as she raged.

“Mrs. Mercer, when you took my family’s money, you didn’t treat me like family.”

She was trembling with anger.

“No one took your family’s money. The house belongs to Graham. You aren’t even married yet, and you’re

already trying to claim it. Is that how your parents raised you?”

I smiled.

“My parents taught me not to act generous with someone else’s money.”

“They also taught me, ‘Don’t marry your daughter into a family that’ll chew her up and spit her out.”

A commotion broke out on the other end of the call. Someone seemed to be trying to calm her down.

I hung up and blocked her number too.

Ten minutes later, Graham called.

I answered, but instead of offering an explanation, his first question was, “How did you get that prenup?”

I sat on a bench beside the road, watching the traffic pass.

“So you knew about it.”

He faltered.

“I only knew my mother had an attorney prepare a template. I had no idea she would…”

“Forge my signature?”

He fell silent.

I continued, “What about the pregnancy test? You’re not going to tell me that was for your mother too, are

you?”

His breathing hitched, and his voice came out hoarse.

“I was drunk that night.”

I did not want to hear another word.

“The demand letter will be delivered to your house today.”

“From now on, speak to my attorney.”

He panicked.

“Nora, do you have to take it this far?”

I looked into the distance and spoke quietly.

“I’m not the one who took it this far.”

“You all pushed me to this point.”