Chapter 1

My hand slowly grew cold around my phone.

"What else do I need to sign?"

Joel Yates sounded perfectly casual.

"The renovation plans and the paperwork for that $60,000 renovation loan we discussed. The bank said you missed one signature. Just come over and sign it."

A $60,000 renovation loan.

It was exactly what the floating texts said.

My parents left me the house we lived in. Joel and I have been married for five years, but I could never bring myself to make any major changes.

Then, last month, he suggested redesigning the master bedroom and the room we planned to use as a nursery.

"When we have a baby, it'll be a fresh start for us."

I believed him.

Just half an hour ago, I was still imagining what our home would look like once the renovations were finished.

Now, the thought made me sick.

I took a quiet breath and steadied my voice.

"I don't think I can make it today."

There was a brief pause.

"What's wrong? My stomach's been bothering me. It hurt pretty badly just now."

Joel's voice immediately softened.

"Is it serious? Should I come home and pick you up?"

"No."

I braced myself against the entryway cabinet and tried to sound normal. "I probably shouldn't have skipped breakfast. My blood sugar's low, and my stomach hurts. I want to get checked at the clinic nearby first."

He fell silent for two seconds.

"Lily, we just need your signature. It'll only take a minute. Come sign the papers, and then I'll take you to the hospital."

"I really don't feel well," I said quietly. "I'm worried something might happen on the way."

I thought I heard him sigh.

"Then how about I ask Vivian to bring the papers over? You can sign them at home."

Vivian Blake was my best friend of ten years.

The year my parents died, she helped me arrange their funeral, move house, and slowly piece myself back together.

The first time she met Joel, she took my hand and said, "Lily, he looks at you with so much tenderness. I hope you'll always be this happy."

So even as she wished me happiness, she was already stealing it from me.

I tightened my grip on the phone.

"Don't trouble her. I'm too dizzy to focus on any paperwork right now. Let's do it tomorrow."

For the first time, a hint of urgency crept into Joel's voice.

"The bank said the system closes for submissions this afternoon."

I gave a soft laugh.

"Then let's skip the loan. We can take our time with the renovations. We own the house, anyway. There's no rush."

The other end went quiet.

A few seconds later, his gentle tone returned.

"Okay. Go get your stomach checked first. Send me your location when you get to the clinic."

"Okay."

I hung up and immediately called Simon Andrews.

He was a friend from college who now workes as a lawyer specializing in loan disputes.

When he answered, I said just one thing.

"Simon, I think someone's planning to take out a huge loan in my name."

His end of the line immediately went quiet.

"Don't sign anything or let anyone into your home. Bring your ID, bank cards, and phone, and come to my office."

Twenty minutes later, I arrived at Simon's office.

He listened to my concerns, then spoke at once.

"There are two things we need to do right now."

"First, call the bank customer service and ask them to flag your account for potential identity theft. Tell them you suspect someone may be misusing your personal information.

“From now on, they must verify your consent for any loans, guarantees, joint borrowing, or electronic authorizations in your name. No one else can apply on your behalf."

"Second, save all your call logs, text messages, and customer service case numbers. Email them to yourself, back them up to cloud storage, and send me a copy."

I did exactly as he said.

Once I reached the bank customer service line, I explained why I was calling.

The representative verified my identity, and I spoke slowly and clearly.

"I suspect someone may be using my identity without my permission. Please flag my account for potential fraud. From now on, you must verify my consent for any loans, guarantees, joint borrowing, or electronic authorizations in my name. "

“Do not process any applications unless I submit them myself."

The representative promptly replied, "Ma'am, we've recorded your request. We'll add a fraud alert and open a customer service case."

A few minutes later, the representative gave me the case number.

A text confirmation arrived shortly afterward.

Once I hung up, I took screenshots of the call log and confirmation text, emailed them to myself, uploaded them to cloud storage, and sent them to Simon.

Before I left his office, he reminded me, "It's still early. The bank's system is still accepting submissions. If you're sure they're planning to act today, make certain you keep a record of everything you do from this point on."

I nodded.

I left his office and went to a pharmacy instead of heading home.

"Could I have a few boxes of stomach medicine, please?"

The assistant printed out a receipt.

The time was clearly marked.

I made a point of asking, "How long do you keep your security footage?"

"Usually three months," the assistant said.

I nodded, photographed the receipt, and paid by card.

By the time I finished, it was exactly five in the afternoon.

The bank's system was closed for submissions.

I stood outside the pharmacy as the wind blew past, and a dull ache actually began to spread through my stomach.

Joel sent another message.

"How are you feeling? What did the doctor say?"

I took a photo of the pharmacy's storefront beside me.

"I bought some stomach medicine. I'm heading home to rest."

He replied almost immediately.

"Get some rest. We'll deal with the renovations tomorrow."

I stared at those words for a long time.

A deep chill settled in my heart.