Chapter 10: My Mother's Signature Was the Final Betrayal
I couldn't stop looking at the document.
My mother's signature was unmistakable.
The long curve beneath the letter E. The small mark she always made at the end of her surname. I had seen it on birthday cards, school permission slips, and the few handwritten letters she had sent me after supposedly disappearing.
It was hers.
"Mom," I whispered.
"Why?""
Elena reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
Her face crumpled.
"Olivia, please listen.""
"Did you sign a statement saying I was mentally incapable of making financial decisions?""
"I didn't know what they would do with it.""
"You signed it!""
Marcus stepped forward.
"Olivia, perhaps we should all calm down.""
I turned toward him.
"You don't get to speak.""
He raised both hands.
"Your mother was under pressure. We can resolve this without making another scene.""
I laughed.
"Another scene? You slapped me in front of two hundred people. You stole from my company.
You wore my mother's necklace on another woman's neck. And now you're suggesting I should calm down?""
Brielle lowered her eyes.
Margaret looked almost amused.
Daniel took the phone from Elena's trembling hands.
"Mrs. Reed, I need you to tell us exactly what happened.""
Elena wiped her cheeks.
"Three weeks ago, Marcus contacted me.""
I turned toward him.
"What did you tell her?""
Marcus answered before she could.
"I told her you were in danger.""
"What kind of danger?""
"Financial and emotional.""
Elena nodded slowly.
"He said Olivia was becoming increasingly unstable. He told me she was making decisions that could destroy the company and that the board was preparing to remove her.""
I stared at her.
"So you believed him?""
"He said you had been drinking heavily. He said you were having episodes.""
"I haven't touched alcohol in months.""
"I know that now.""
"You didn't even call me?""
Elena began crying again.
"He told me you wouldn't answer.""
Daniel interrupted.
"What did he ask you to sign?""
Elena reached into her handbag and removed a folded paper.
"He said it was a medical authorization allowing him to temporarily manage Olivia's financial affairs.""
Daniel examined it.
His expression hardened.
"This isn't a medical authorization.""
Elena nodded.
"I know.""
She looked at me.
"He told me the document would prevent the board from forcing you into an unwanted treatment facility.""
My stomach turned.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Mom misunderstood.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Stop calling it a misunderstanding.""
He pointed to the document.
"This is an affidavit supporting a petition to declare Olivia financially incapacitated and transfer her voting rights to an appointed representative.""
I felt cold.
"Who would that representative be?""
Daniel turned the page.
"Marcus Reed.""
I stared at my husband.
"You wanted to have me declared incompetent?""
Marcus sighed.
"I wanted to protect what we built.""
"What we built?""
"Olivia, the company was collapsing. You were becoming unpredictable. I had to act.""
"You had to act?""
He stepped closer.
"You don't understand the pressure I've been under.""
I looked at him.
"You mean the pressure of spending money you didn't own?""
His expression changed.
Daniel examined the affidavit again.
"There's another issue.""
He pointed to the date.
"This document claims Elena witnessed Olivia signing a transfer agreement six months ago.""
I frowned.
"Six months ago, Mom was supposedly dead.""
Elena covered her mouth.
Daniel nodded.
"Exactly.""
Marcus looked away.
I turned toward my mother.
"Where were you six months ago?""
She hesitated.
"Living in a small apartment outside Philadelphia.""
"Who paid for it?""
She looked at Marcus.
He closed his eyes.
I understood.
"Marcus?""
He said nothing.
Daniel found another page.
The payments had come from one of the shell companies connected to Brielle.
The same account that had received the four million dollars.
My mother's rent.
Her medical expenses.
Her living costs.
Everything had been paid through the stolen company money.
Elena started shaking.
"He told me it was his personal money.""
I looked at Marcus.
"You paid my mother to help you steal my company?""
"No!""
"Then explain the transfers.""
He raised his voice.
"I was trying to keep her safe!""
Elena suddenly stood.
"Stop lying!""
The entire ballroom turned toward her.
She pointed at Marcus.
"You told me Olivia had agreed to everything. You said she wanted me to sign because she was afraid the family would reject her if I came back.""
Marcus stared at her.
"You were paid to stay away. You knew the arrangement.""
Elena flinched.
I felt my chest tighten.
"Paid?""
My mother looked at me.
"I didn't want the money.""
"But you took it.""
She lowered her head.
"I needed somewhere to live. I was sick. I had no identity documents under my real name. Marcus offered to help.""
Daniel interrupted.
"Mrs. Reed, did you know the money came from Reed Global?""
"No.""
"Did you know it was being transferred through a company connected to Brielle Carter?""
"No.""
"Did you knowingly sign a false statement about Olivia?""
Elena looked at me.
Then she nodded.
"Yes.""
The answer hurt more than the slap Marcus had given me.
At least Marcus had never pretended to be anything other than selfish.
My mother had.
"Why?"" I whispered.
She began crying.
"Because I thought I was helping you.""
"By saying I was mentally incapable?""
"I thought it would be temporary. Marcus promised he would restore everything once the company was stable.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Can this affidavit be used against me?""
"It can be challenged. Especially because the dates are impossible and the underlying agreement appears fraudulent.""
He turned toward the investigators.
"I want the original document preserved and every payment connected to Elena's account traced.""
One investigator nodded.
Marcus suddenly grabbed his jacket.
"I'm done with this.""
Daniel stepped in front of him.
"You're not going anywhere until we finish documenting the evidence.""
"You have no authority to detain me.""
"Nobody is detaining you. But the board has been notified, and your executive access has been suspended pending investigation.""
Marcus laughed.
"You can't suspend me.""
Daniel handed him a printed notice.
"Read it.""
Marcus scanned the document.
His expression collapsed.
"What?""
I stepped closer.
"What does it say?""
Daniel answered.
"The board has voted to suspend Marcus's executive authority and freeze all disputed transactions. Your voting shares remain subject to the original shareholder agreement.""
Marcus stared at me.
"You planned this.""
I shook my head.
"No. I discovered it.""
Then Elena reached into her handbag again.
"There is something else.""
She removed a small black USB drive.
"Marcus gave me this when I signed the affidavit. He told me to keep it hidden.""
Daniel took it.
"What is on it?""
Elena looked toward Marcus.
"Everything.""
Marcus's face went white.
"Mom, don't.""
She looked at him through her tears.
"You told me Olivia would forgive me. You said all we had to do was get her out of the company.""
Daniel connected the drive to his laptop.
A folder appeared.
Inside were recordings, photographs, bank statements, and a series of emails.
One recording was dated four months earlier.
Daniel opened it.
Marcus's voice filled the ballroom.
"Once Olivia signs the incapacity affidavit, the board won't have a choice.""
Another voice answered.
Thomas.
"And if she refuses?""
Marcus laughed.
"Then we'll make sure she has no choice.""
I closed my eyes.
The recording continued.
"Her mother will sign. Brielle has the necklace. Margaret has the original documents. We just need to get Olivia into the hospital for forty-eight hours.""
I opened my eyes.
"What hospital?""
Nobody answered.
Daniel stopped the recording.
Then he opened another file.
It contained a reservation at a private psychiatric facility under my name.
The admission date was tomorrow.
I looked at Marcus.
He had planned to have me committed.
And the person who had arranged it wasn't Thomas.
It was Brielle.
She was already walking toward the exit when Daniel called her name.
"Ms. Carter, I think we need to discuss your involvement.""
Brielle stopped.
Then she turned toward me.
Her face was wet with tears.
"Olivia, there's something you don't know about that hospital.""
May you like
She looked toward Marcus.
"He wasn't planning to send you there alone.""
