Chapter 6 - Tiffany’s Password
Tiffany knew Daniel’s passwords.
Banking.
Email.
Vendor portal.
Everything.
Daniel called it trust.
Susan called it a disaster.
Claire called it “why I require signatures in person now.”
The email to Claire authorized my card for “reasonable event overages.”
My signature was attached.
Taken from an earlier florist agreement.
Tiffany had access to that agreement because Claire emailed the full wedding folder to both of them.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“She wouldn’t.”
“She slapped me in front of two hundred and fifty people.”
“That doesn’t mean she forged you.”
“No. The forged signature means she forged me.”
“I need to talk to her.”
“No private confrontation.”
“She’s my wife.”
“And possibly part of a fraud investigation.”
That word changed him.
Not family conflict.
Tiffany arrived anyway.
She came with Richard.
Richard walked into my house like he still believed he could negotiate.
“Margaret, this has gone too far.”
“You prepared a deed for my land.”
“It was a contingency.”
“You created an LLC with my son.”
“For a development opportunity.”
“You attached my forged signature to loan documents.”
“That is an accusation.”
“It is also being reported.”
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Handle your mother.”
“No.”
Richard’s expression changed.
“What?”
“No.”
For one second, I saw Thomas in him.
Then Tiffany stepped forward.
“You destroyed our wedding.”
“You hit me.”
“You embarrassed me first.”
“By refusing champagne.”
“You made me look cheap.”
Forty-five thousand dollars.
And she felt cheap.
Susan asked:
“Did you send an email from Daniel’s account authorizing Margaret’s card?”
Tiffany looked at Daniel.
That was the answer.
Daniel whispered:
“Tiff?”
She folded her arms.
“I handled details because you were overwhelmed.”
“Did you use Mom’s signature?”
“I used what Claire already had.”
Daniel looked sick.
“That’s forgery.”
Richard snapped:
“Stop using legal words you don’t understand.”
“I understand them.”
Then Claire’s phone buzzed.
“What?”
“One of the vendors just sent me a screenshot.”
It showed Tiffany texting the champagne company before the slap.
If Margaret says no, run it anyway. She always pays when Daniel begs.
May you like
I looked at my son.
And he finally saw the sentence that explained our entire relationship.
