Chapter 17: The Night Everything Changed

I didn't sleep that night.

The anonymous messages kept replaying in my mind.

Jason's debt.

The night Chloe first met Noah.

Whatever happened between those things had been hidden from me for a reason.

By morning, I had made a decision.

I wasn't going to confront Noah blindly.

I wanted the truth first.

...

My lawyer helped me request the financial records connected to the wedding account.

There were dozens of transactions I hadn't authorized.

Some were small enough to disappear among ordinary expenses.

Others were impossible to explain.

Then we found a payment made to a private lending company.

The recipient name was Jason Black.

The amount was $9,500.

I stared at the screen.

“That's not part of the wedding expenses,” I said.

My lawyer nodded.

“No.”

“When was it made?”

“Three months ago.”

Three months ago.

That was shortly after Chloe and Jason announced their engagement.

I leaned back in my chair.

“Noah told me he didn't know anything about Jason's finances.”

“The records suggest otherwise.”

I looked at the transaction again.

There was a note attached to it.

“Final payment.”

My stomach dropped.

Final payment for what?

...

I called the anonymous number.

It rang twice.

Then someone answered.

“You found it.”

The voice was female.

I didn't recognize it.

“Who are you?”

“Someone who got tired of watching you be lied to.”

“Tell me what happened.”

There was a long pause.

“Chloe met Jason before she told your family about him.”

I frowned.

“How much earlier?”

“Almost a year.”

My grip tightened around the phone.

“That's impossible. She told us they met through a mutual friend.”

“That's the story she gave everyone.”

“And the truth?”

“Jason was already in debt when they met. Serious debt.”

I closed my eyes.

“How did Noah get involved?”

The woman hesitated.

“Because Noah helped him.”

“With money?”

“At first.”

“And later?”

Her voice became quieter.

“Later, Noah started using your money.”

My entire body went still.

“Why?”

“Because he believed once you married him, everything you owned would become part of the same family.”

I felt sick.

“That's not how marriage works.”

“It is if everyone around you keeps telling themselves it does.”

I swallowed.

“What happened the night Chloe met Jason?”

The woman took a breath.

“Chloe wasn't supposed to be there.”

“Where?”

“A private poker club.”

I stared at the wall.

Jason had been gambling.

He had lost heavily.

Chloe had found him there.

And Noah had been with him.

“Why was Noah there?” I asked.

“That's what you need to ask him.”

The line went silent.

“Wait.”

Before I could say anything else, the call ended.

...

That afternoon, my lawyer sent me another document.

A police report.

Jason's name appeared in connection with a financial dispute at the private club.

No criminal charges had been filed, but the report confirmed that he had been heavily in debt.

And one of the people listed as a witness was Noah Reed.

I stared at his name.

He had been there.

He had known.

He had helped.

The question was how much.

...

Back in Boston, Noah finally confronted Jason.

“Tell me everything.”

Jason looked nervous.

“About what?”

“The money.”

Jason's face went pale.

“I told you I'd pay it back.”

“That's not what I'm asking.”

Noah stepped closer.

“How much do you owe?”

Jason looked away.

“Jason.”

“Around thirty thousand.”

Noah's jaw tightened.

“Around?”

“Maybe more.”

“How much more?”

Jason didn't answer.

Noah slammed his palm against the table.

“How much?”

“Forty-seven.”

Noah went silent.

Forty-seven thousand dollars.

And some of that money had come from me.

“Does Chloe know?”

Jason shook his head.

“Not everything.”

“She knows enough.”

“She knows I had problems.”

“And you let Noah pay them.”

Jason looked at him.

“You offered.”

Noah's face twisted with anger.

“I offered because you told me it was temporary.”

Jason shrugged.

“It was.”

“You lied.”

“You did too.”

Noah froze.

Jason leaned back.

“You told Rowan you were protecting her family. You never told her what the money was really for.”

Noah's expression darkened.

“Don't drag her into this.”

“She's already in it.”

That sentence followed Noah long after he left the apartment.