Chapter 5: The Signature That Wasn’t Mine
The woman stepped into the room.
“My name is Natalie Cole,” she said.
“That stamp was locked in my desk.”
Dad looked at her.
“Who had access?”
Natalie’s eyes moved to Mom’s purse.
“Aunt Elaine borrowed my office key last week.”
Mom sank into the chair.
“Paige said she needed to copy a tax record.”
“You gave her my key?” Natalie asked.
“I didn’t know she would take the stamp.”
“You knew she was copying Marissa’s signature.”
Mom began to cry.
“I didn’t know how far it had gone.”
I looked at Celeste.
“Can you stop the sale?”
“I can file an emergency challenge,” she said.
“But Blue Heron transferred a deposit this morning.
Their attorney may argue they relied on a valid notarized document.”
Ryan pulled out his phone.
“My father will withdraw the offer.”
Celeste shook her head.
“If Paige used his company without permission, withdrawing too quickly could destroy evidence.”
Ryan’s hand lowered.
The hospital door opened again.
Paige walked in wearing her wedding gown, though the veil was gone.
“Everyone out,” she said.
“I need to speak to my sister.”
Dad stepped in front of her.
“You are not going near Marissa.”
“I came to fix this.”
“You came because the sale is in danger,” I said.
Paige placed a folder at the foot of my bed.
“Sign a new authorization.
I’ll increase your share.”
“How generous.”
“You’ll get forty percent.”
“I already own fifty.”
“The cottage needs work.
I found the buyer.”
“You found Ryan’s father.”
Her jaw tightened.
“Take the deal, Marissa.
You can’t maintain that place with one working arm.”
Dad moved forward, but I raised my left hand.
“What happens if I refuse?”
Paige’s smile returned.
“Then I tell the police you agreed to the pool joke.”
Brooke stared at her.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?
Marissa jokes about everything.
Half the guests heard her tell me to make the photographs memorable.”
“I never said that.”
Paige tapped the folder.
“You also sent me a message saying, ‘Do whatever you want.
It’s your day.’”
I remembered sending it after she complained about the flowers.
“You’ll remove the context,” I said.
“I’ll show people exactly what they need to see.”
Ryan stood by the window.
“Are you threatening her?”
“I’m protecting myself from a jealous sister.”
He crossed the room and placed her engagement ring on top of the folder.
“You left this in the bridal suite.”
Paige stared at it.
“Put it back in your pocket.”
“No.”
“You’ll regret humiliating me.”
“I almost married someone who planned an inj*ry to complete a fraudulent sale.”
Paige snatched up the ring.
“You’ll come crawling back when your father learns how much this scandal will cost his company.”
Ryan did not move.
She turned to Mom.
“Tell them Marissa agreed.”
Mom looked at me, then at Paige.
“I can’t.”
“You already did.”
“I won’t do it again.”
Paige grabbed Mom’s purse and emptied it onto the bed.
Keys, tissues, and a sealed envelope scattered across the blanket.
Celeste reached for the envelope.
Paige seized it first.
“What is that?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
Natalie pointed to the handwriting.
“That’s Grandma’s.”
Paige tore the envelope in half.
Celeste caught one piece before it fell.
“This is a codicil.”
Paige crushed the other half in her fist.
“It means nothing.”
“Give it to me,” Celeste said.
Paige backed toward the door.
“Try taking it.”
Brooke lifted her phone.
“I recorded everything you just said.”
Paige froze.
Brooke’s screen was dark.
Paige smiled.
“No, you didn’t.”
Then Natalie held up her own phone.
“But I did.”
May you like
Paige’s smile disappeared.
Before anyone could stop her, she snatched Natalie’s phone and ran.
