Chapter 5
Brandon arrived angry because fear had not caught up yet.
He drove up the gravel driveway in a black SUV, tires throwing dust, phone pressed to his ear.
Tessa followed in a smaller car.
She looked upset before she even stepped out.
That told me she had started seeing the frozen accounts.
Brandon slammed his door.
“What did you do?”
I stood beside the sign in my white pantsuit.
“My property alert worked.”
He pointed at me.
“You always do this.”
“Protect my own house?”
“Sabotage me.”
I glanced at the SOLD sign.
“You tried to transfer my farmhouse to your girlfriend’s company.”
He stepped closer.
“You don’t understand the structure.”
“I understand theft.”
Tessa came between us, crying.
“Brandon, my accounts are frozen. Payroll bounced. Vendors are calling. What is happening?”
He ignored her.
That was his first mistake in front of her.
A man can lie to a woman while pretending she is central.
But the moment panic arrives, he reveals whether she is partner or container.
To Brandon, Tessa was a container.
For stolen money.
For blame.
For the business failure he thought my land would cover.
I looked at her.
“Tessa, did he tell you I approved this sale?”
She looked from me to Brandon.
“He said the authority was handled.”
“Did he say I signed?”
She swallowed.
“He said family paperwork was complicated.”
Rebecca watched from near the SUV, legal folder in hand.
Detective Hale stood beside her, waiting.
Brandon did not notice them yet.
He was too busy performing dominance.
“The deed is signed,” he snapped. “The money is already hers.”
Tessa’s phone buzzed again.
She looked down and went pale.
“What did you put into my company?”
Brandon finally turned.
“Don’t make this worse.”
She backed away.
“You told me it was bridge capital.”
“It is.”
Clara almost smiled.
“No, Tessa.”
“It is frozen fraud proceeds.”
Brandon’s head whipped toward me.
That was when he saw Detective Hale open his jacket.
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The badge changed the temperature of the driveway.
Read the full story 👉 Brandon tried to blame Clara for the frozen accounts, but Tessa began realizing he had used her company to receive stolen funds.
