Chapter 5 - The Black PhoneThe wedding officially ended at 5:12 p.m.
Renee told the guests there would be no ceremony.
Ashley did not explain.
Her mother handled the questions.
Her maid of honor gathered personal belongings.
The caterer boxed untouched meals.
The band was paid according to contract.
And Simone’s cake was moved into the venue’s commercial refrigerator because neither bride nor groom wanted to decide what to do with it.
Marcus left with his brother.
Not before Ashley said one final thing.
“Do not access my company systems.”
He looked wounded.
“You think I’m going to sabotage you?”
“I no longer know what you’ll do.”
That silenced him.
Simone returned to her bakery after dark.
Keisha Morgan, her assistant and closest friend, was waiting.
She had already seen a thirteen-second guest video online.
It showed Simone at the aisle.
Marcus turning.
Ashley stepping away.
Thankfully, the clip ended before the apartment conversation.
Keisha locked the front door.
“Tell me that isn’t Marcus.”
“It’s Marcus.”
Keisha sat down.
“Tell me you knew he was engaged.”
“I didn’t.”
“Tell me something that makes this less insane.”
Simone put her phone on the worktable.
“I might be connected to fraud.”
Keisha stared.
“What?”
Simone explained.
The corporate apartment.
The rent payments.
The fake vendor account.
The altered invoices.
Keisha went silent.
Then she asked, “Did he ever have access to our accounting system?”
Simone froze.
“What?”
“Marcus.”
“No.”
Keisha gave her a look.
Simone thought.
“He helped when we switched payment processors.”
“When?”
“Last year.”
“Did you give him the login?”
“For one night.”
Keisha closed her eyes.
“Simone.”
“He said he knew the software.”
“Did you change the password?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
Simone could not remember.
Keisha opened the company laptop.
They reviewed vendor emails.
Nothing obvious.
Then Keisha searched Marcus’s name.
Thirty-seven messages appeared.
Most were normal.
Event referrals.
Restaurant introductions.
A hotel anniversary dinner.
Then one subject line stood out.
VENDOR PROFILE UPDATE CONFIRMATION
Simone opened it.
Eight months earlier.
The payment platform confirmed new banking information for Carter Bespoke Cakes.
Simone stared.
“I never changed this.”
Keisha looked at the date.
“Were you in Savannah?”
Simone remembered.
A destination wedding.
Three days away.
Marcus had watched her dog and “checked on the bakery.”
She whispered, “He was here.”
Keisha leaned back.
“Change everything now.”
Simone did.
Passwords.
Two-factor authentication.
Recovery email.
Merchant account credentials.
Then she downloaded eighteen months of statements.
Three mysterious transfers appeared.
Not into her main checking account.
Into an auxiliary merchant reserve account opened under her business profile.
She had never noticed because the account had a near-zero balance.
Keisha pointed.
“Where did the money go?”
Outgoing ACH transfers.
REED DEVELOPMENT LLC.
Simone felt nauseated.
The amounts totaled $42,800.
She took screenshots.
Saved PDFs.
Printed copies.
For once, she did not call Marcus.
At 8:43 p.m., he called her.
She watched the phone ring.
Again.
Again.
A text arrived.
Please let me explain before Ashley’s family destroys my life.
Simone almost replied.
Keisha touched her wrist.
“No.”
Another message.
You know me.
Simone laughed bitterly.
“That’s the problem.”
A third.
I never meant for you to be involved financially.
That one mattered.
Simone screenshot it.
Keisha said, “He just admitted you’re involved financially.”
“I know.”
“Save everything.”
Simone did.
At nine-thirty Ashley called.
Simone answered.
Neither woman knew what tone to use.
Ashley said, “I’m with company counsel.”
“Okay.”
“We found the vendor bank account.”
“It connects to Reed Development.”
A pause.
“You found it too?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Marcus changed my payment profile.”
Ashley exhaled.
“Do you have proof?”
“An email confirmation and statements.”
“Keep originals.”
“I am.”
Ashley sounded exhausted.
“Simone.”
“Yes?”
“I need to ask you something ugly.”
“Go ahead.”
“Did you ever know who I was?”
“No.”
“Not even as his boss?”
“He told me Evelyn Bennett was the chairwoman. He mentioned ‘Ashley’ sometimes in operations meetings. I didn’t know you were that Ashley.”
“Did you ever Google him?”
The question embarrassed Simone.
“Yes.”
“And?”
“His company bio. Articles. Nothing about you.”
Ashley laughed sadly.
“We kept our engagement mostly private because my family hates publicity.”
Simone looked at the viral wedding clip already passing fifty thousand views.
“That worked out.”
Ashley almost laughed.
Almost.
Then Simone asked her own ugly question.
“Did you know about me through the vendor account?”
“No.”
“You signed my apartment lease.”
“I signed a corporate housing lease without your name on the summary page Marcus gave me.”
Simone went still.
“My name wasn’t there?”
“No.”
“Then how did it get added?”
“I don’t know.”
Both women fell silent.
Someone had altered documents after Ashley signed.
Or Simone had been added through a legitimate amendment that Ashley never saw.
Either way, Marcus had built a bridge between their names.
Ashley said, “Company counsel wants to interview you Monday.”
“I’m getting my own lawyer.”
“Good.”
Ashley sounded relieved, not offended.
“Do that.”
Before hanging up, Simone said, “Ashley.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For existing in your wedding.”
Ashley took a long breath.
“You didn’t walk in there knowing.”
“No.”
“Then don’t apologize for what he arranged.”
After the call, Simone opened the resident portal again.
The lease amendment was there.
Signed electronically.
Simone Carter.
Marcus Reed, corporate housing administrator.
And Ashley Bennett.
Simone stared at Ashley’s signature.
Then at the date.
The amendment had been signed at 2:14 a.m.
On a night Simone knew exactly where Marcus had been.
In her apartment.
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In her bed.
Using her Wi-Fi.
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