“You need to call me back now.”
The message ended.
I could picture him pacing the living room, trying to understand how a deal he believed was finished had collapsed.
In his mind, the paperwork was signed.
The sale was secure.
The money was practically his.
Now the developer was telling him the property wasn’t his, the transfer was invalid, and the documents exposed him.
Another message arrived.
This time I answered.
“Harper,” I said.
“What did you do?” he demanded.
“I handled the paperwork,” I said.
Silence.
“What paperwork?”
“The kind that reflects reality,” I said.
His breathing quickened.
“Don’t play games with me,” he snapped. “This developer is threatening legal action. He’s saying fraud. Breach of contract. I don’t even understand what he’s talking about.”
“You should read what you signed,” I said.
“I know what I signed,” he shot back.
“No,” I said. “You thought you did.”
