Chapter 2
I didn't go back to my hometown right away.
I made a stop at the bank first.
I got a copy of my credit report.
There was a credit card I didn't even know existed.
Name on the account: Claire Sutton.
The address was listed as my hometown county.
The most recent transaction was last month.
Amount: 4,600 dollars.
Note: Southside Mall.
I didn't even know where Southside Mall was.
But one thing I knew for sure. I never signed up for that card.
I printed out the credit report.
Then I went to the police station.
All my records were normal, and there was no sign my ID had ever been reported lost.
So Emily didn't use my real ID.
She forged one.
It had my name and ID number, but the photo was hers.
When I got home, I spread everything out on the table.
A copy of the marriage certificate.
The credit report.
The household registration printout.
Together, these three things pieced together the whole truth.
Eight years ago, someone made a fake ID with my info, got married under my name at the court house, and took out a credit card using my identity.
That was Emily.
And my parents knew the whole story from the start.
On Saturday, I went back to my hometown.
Grace opened the door.
When she saw me, her eyes flickered away for a moment. "You're back. Have you eaten yet?"
"No," I replied.
"I'll make you something."
I sat down on the couch. "It's fine.
"Where's Dad?"
"He's in the back room."
"Tell him to come out."
Grace stood there, nervously wringing her hands. "Claire, please don't be mad..."
"Tell him to come out."
My dad, Elias Sutton, came out of the back room.
He looked at me, then sat down across from me.
He didn't say a word.
I put the copy of the marriage certificate on the table. "Take a look at this."
Elias looked at it for a second.
He looked away.
Grace leaned in, her fingers barely touched the edge before she pulled them back.
"When did you find out?" I asked.
The silence hung heavy in the room.
"Was it eight years ago?" I pushed.
Still, they said nothing.
"Did you give my ID to Aunt Linda?" I asked.
Elias finally spoke up. "It wasn't your real ID, only a photocopy."
"So you handed it over to her?"
He nodded.
"Did you know what she was going to use it for?" I pressed.
He nodded again, silent.
I stared at Elias.
A fifty-five-year-old man.
Half his hair had turned gray.
His hands rested on his knees, knuckles white from how hard he was gripping them.
I said, "You knew someone was using my identity to get married.
"You didn't stop it.
"Eight years.
"And you never told me."
He kept his head down. "Linda said she'd use it for a while, that it wouldn't cause you any trouble."
I let out a bitter laugh. "Wouldn't cause me any trouble?
"Dad, do you even know why I broke up with Michael three years ago?"
He finally looked up at me.
I continued, "Michael checked my marital status. The official records said I was married.
"He thought I'd been lying to him all along.
"He walked away.
"He didn't even give me a chance to explain."
Elias opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Grace's face went pale.
My voice was flat, almost emotionless. "Do you even realize that was the most serious relationship I've ever had?
"I lost him. Not because I did anything wrong. It was because you gave my identity to Emily."
Grace's voice trembled. "We had no idea it would turn out like this."
I stared at her. "You didn't know?
"You handed over my ID copy so someone else could get married, and you thought it wouldn't destroy my life?"
Grace's lips trembled. "Linda said the Carter family had money, and if Emily married in, it would be good for all of us..."
I repeated it, bitterness in my voice. "Good for everyone.
"Who exactly was it good for?
"It was good for Emily, good for Linda, good for you two.
"And what about me?"
No one said a word.
I pointed at the document on the table. "And what about me?
"My name, my ID number are right here. But I'm not the one who got married.
"Eight years.
"Did any of you ever ask me how I felt about it?"
Elias looked down.
Grace's eyes welled up with tears. "Claire..."
"Don't cry," I said, my voice cold. "You don't get to cry."
Grace froze.
I stood up. "I'm the one who should be crying.
"Is there anything else I don't know?"
They exchanged a glance.
Their eyes darted away, full of guilt and avoidance.
There's more.
There has to be more.
"Spit it out," I said coldly.
Elias opened his mouth, hesitating. "That's it..."
"Really?"
He wouldn't meet my eyes. "That's it."
I could tell he was lying.
But I didn't press him.
Now wasn't the time.
I picked up the copy of the marriage certificate and put it in my bag. "I'm leaving."
"Claire..." Grace called after me.
I walked to the door. "Don't call me.
"Next time I come back, you two better have all the answers ready.
"Because I won't let this go."