Chapter 4: The Signature That Could Ruin Everything
By nine the next morning, we were seated in Sterling’s boardroom with three attorneys and a representative from the bank.
The representative slid the guarantee across the table.
“Until a court rules otherwise, this document remains enforceable.”
“It was forged,” I said.
Daniel sat opposite me with Malcolm and their attorney.
“You signed it at our engagement dinner.”
“I signed a guest-book page.”
“And several business documents,” he replied.
“You had champagne.
Perhaps you don’t remember.”
I pushed my chair back.
“You watched me sign that page and copied my signature.”
“Be careful, Evelyn,” Malcolm said.
“A false accusation could cost Sterling more than the guarantee.”
Grandfather placed both hands on the table.
“Your son admitted the marriage was part of your plan.”
“An emotional bride misunderstood him,” Malcolm answered.
“That is not evidence of fraud.”
Miriam connected her laptop to the wall screen.
“The guarantee file was created three weeks before the engagement dinner,” she said.
“Evelyn could not have signed it there.”
Daniel’s attorney stood.
“We obtained an emergency court order this morning.
Ms.
Sterling’s ownership transfer and access to company accounts are temporarily frozen.”
The document landed in front of me.
Daniel leaned back.
“Until the court confirms you are competent to control the company.”
“Competent?” I whispered.
“You were under treatment after your mother died,” he said.
“Your grandfather hid it from the board.”
The room blurred for one terrible second.
Grandfather’s chair scraped beside me.
“Her grief is not yours to use.”
Daniel looked directly at me.
“Ask him why he kept medical notes about you.
Ask him why he waited until your wedding day to announce the shares.”
I turned toward Grandfather.
“You had me evaluated?”
His silence hurt more than Daniel’s words.
“Answer her,” Daniel said.
Grandfather’s fingers closed around his cane.
“After your mother died, you stopped eating and sleeping.
I asked a doctor how to help you.”
“You told me you trusted me.”
“I did trust you.”
“But you kept the notes.”
“I was afraid of losing you too.”
My knees weakened, and I gripped the table.
“You should have told me.”
Daniel pushed the court order closer.
“He didn’t tell you because he never planned to give you real control.”
“Stop,” I said.
“He needed a pretty heir for the newspapers and an obedient granddaughter in private.”
“Stop!”
My voice broke across the room.
Grandfather reached for me, but I stepped away.
Then Vanessa entered carrying a paper bag and my coat.
Daniel stared at her.
“Who let you in?”
“She left the chapel without either of these,” Vanessa said.
She placed them beside me and took out a small velvet purse.
“And Daniel left this in my apartment.”
Daniel stood so quickly that his chair struck the wall.
“That belongs to me.”
Vanessa handed the purse to Miriam.
Inside were two flash drives and a small signature stamp bearing my name.
“You told me it was for wedding thank-you cards,” Vanessa said.
“I believed you until I saw that loan document.”
Daniel pointed toward the door.
“You’ll regret this.”
“No,” Vanessa answered.
“I regret believing you.”
Miriam inserted the first drive.
It was empty.
Daniel’s smile returned.
“You brought them nothing.”
She tried the second.
A password box appeared.
“What is the password?” I asked.
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
“The date he said his real life would begin.”
She entered the day after our planned wedding.
A folder opened, but before Miriam could select a file, every screen in the room went black.
The bank representative checked his phone.
“Our systems just received an instruction from Sterling’s executive account,” he said.
“All available funds are being transferred to an overseas holding company.”
Grandfather looked at his own dark monitor.
“I didn’t authorize that.”
May you like
Daniel buttoned his jacket.
“Then someone inside Sterling did.”
