The balance was catastrophic.

Three days earlier, $18,500 had been wired out of the account. The recipient: Riverton Heights Residential — a luxury high-rise on the other side of the city.

My breath hitched. I opened my laptop and logged into my personal credit-monitoring service. My credit score was immaculate, something I prided myself on.

But there, under Recent Hard Inquiries, was a hit from Riverton Heights.

I dug deeper into the digital footprint. Damon hadn’t just stolen the money for a love nest. He’d used my name, my Social Security number, and my impeccable financial standing to sign as the primary guarantor on a two-year luxury lease for Claire.

If they defaulted, if they damaged the property, the financial ruin would fall squarely on me. It was a calculated, predatory maneuver to keep his own credit clean while he bled me dry.