I clasped the delicate lace of my bridal gown so tightly that my knuckles turned an ashen white. The pristine fabric, meant to symbolize purity and new beginnings, now enshrouded me like a funerary veil, suffocating the remnants of my former freedom...
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My mind was a chaotic mess of thoughts, each one more confusing than the last. The papers had Giada's name and signature, a fact that made no sense to me. The idea of her name being associated with something secretive was unsettling.
As I racked my brain, my friend Daniel came to mind. He was a bookworm like me, but his interests were more geared towards numbers, considering he was an investment banker. He would be the perfect person to decode the significance of these documents.
I carefully made my way to the car, documents tightly clasped in my hand. "Daniel, I'll be there in 10 minutes," I said as I got inside the car and drove off.
As I stepped into Daniel's office, he greeted me with a warm embrace, "Hey."
I returned the hug, "Thanks for meeting me."
"Anything for you, Yasenia," he said with a soft smile.
I sank into the chair in front of his desk as he took his place behind it. "Is everything okay? I haven't seen or heard from you in so long. Your store has been closed every time I've gone by, what happened?" Daniel's concerned gaze met mine.
I swallowed hard. "Well, I got married." I confessed, feeling a bit uneasy.
"Married?" Daniel looked like he'd been hit by a bolt of lightning. "Wow, congratulations! That's a big deal."
I tried to smile, but it felt forced. It was hard to wrap my head around it, too.
An awkward silence hung between us before Daniel spoke up again. "What can I do for you?"
"Right, umm..." I fumbled through my purse for the documents. "Could you take a look at these and tell me what they are exactly?"
Daniel accepted the papers, his interest piqued. "Who's Giada?" he asked, confusion evident on his face. But as he scanned the documents, his expression turned grave. "Oh, my God, Yasenia. What have you gotten yourself into?"
My heart sank, but I pressed on. "Giada is my mother-in-law. I don't know what those documents are, but I think her name has been used fraudulently. Please, Daniel, you agreed to help me and keep this between us."
He hesitated for a beat before reluctantly responding, "These are a bunch of complex financial transactions. It's called 'layering.' The point of it is to conceal the origin of the money, which is the second most important step in money laundering, Yasenia!"
As I stared at the papers, the revelation wasn't entirely surprising, but seeing Giada's name and signature still baffled me.
"Okay?" I prompted, hoping for more clarity.
"You don't seem shocked," Daniel observed, suspicion coloring his tone.
"Well, that's because I'm not," I shot back, trying to maintain composure. "But what I don't get is why Giada's name is on these documents. She's innocent."
