Chapter 5: The Deal Behind Closed Doors
Three days later, Richard sat across from me in my attorney Naomi Pierce’s office.
Tiffany was beside him, and their lawyer had placed a thick agreement on the table.
“Sign this,” Richard said, “and we all walk away.”
Naomi slid the agreement back.
“Your offer requires Mrs.
Bennett to surrender the wedding authorization, the recording, and any claim involving Bellweather Holdings.”
“It also repays the canceled services,” Richard replied.
“With Margaret’s own land profits,” Elaine said from beside me.
Richard glared at his wife.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I spent thirty-one years being where you told me to be.”
Tiffany leaned toward Daniel.
“Make your mother understand.
If she refuses, we’ll sue her for ruining the reception.”
Daniel did not look at her.
“Did you copy Mom’s signature?”
“I used what you gave me.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“You want an answer?” Tiffany struck the table with her palm.
“Your mother promised us a perfect day, then punished me because she couldn’t stand watching you choose another woman.”
I held her gaze.
“You forged my name.”
“You approved every upgrade in principle.”
“I rejected that champagne.”
“You embarrassed my father.”
“Your father cheated me on my land.”
Richard’s lawyer lifted a notarized deed.
“Mrs.
Bennett signed the sale voluntarily.
Bellweather legally owns the parcel.”
Naomi examined the document.
“The signature on the deed is genuine.
The failure to disclose Richard’s financial interest is the issue.”
Richard smiled.
“You cannot prove I control Bellweather.”
He opened a second folder and pushed an email toward me.
It carried my address and read: *Please do whatever is necessary to make their wedding perfect.*
“You sent that,” he said.
“A court may decide the $18,700 was authorized.”
“I wrote it before the guest list tripled.”
“The sentence has no spending limit.”
For one sickening moment, Tiffany smiled.
Their lawyer began listing cancellation penalties, threatened claims, and legal costs.
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
“Mom,” he said, “if this goes to court, they could take what you have left.”
Tiffany touched his shoulder.
“Tell her to sign.
We can still be a family.”
I looked at my son.
“Is that what you want?”
His lips parted, but Richard answered first.
“He wants his wife.
Stop forcing him to choose.”
Naomi closed the agreement.
“We’re finished.”
Richard stood.
“The offer expires at five.”
The office door opened before he reached it.
The venue manager walked in carrying a laptop.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said.
“Our technology team recovered the original file used for the payment authorization.”
Tiffany’s chair moved sharply.
The manager turned the screen toward us.
“The document was created on a guest account, but the automatic backup preserved the editing history.”
A scanned signature appeared, followed by the name of the person who had inserted it.
Daniel read the account name aloud.
“Tiffany Bennett.”
Tiffany grabbed the laptop.
Naomi pulled it away before she could close the file.
“That proves I prepared the form,” Tiffany said.
“It doesn’t prove Margaret didn’t approve it.”
The manager clicked another tab.
May you like
“There’s an audio file attached to the backup,” he said.
“Someone forgot the office dictation program was still running.”
